Canada resembles the United States in that its first residents arrived from Asia thousands of years ago, entering the New World through what is now Alaska. As with the U.S., Canada�s first Europeans crossed the Atlantic Ocean and settled in the east. In fact, Newfoundland was colonized by Vikings long before Columbus discovered America.

With just 13 provinces and territories covering a larger area than the 50 states to the south and west, you might guess that most of Canada�s jurisdictions are enormous. But Canada further resembles its neighbor to the south in that its smallest provinces are in the east.

The smallest is Prince Edward Island, sometimes nicknamed PEI. PEI, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are known as the Maritimes. Together with Newfoundland, they make up the Atlantic provinces.

Bordering the Maritimes to the west is Quebec, a sprawling expanse of forests, farms and tundra that is home to most of Canada�s French-speaking residents, or Francophones. Quebec�s neighbor to the west is Ontario, the seat of Canadian government. More than half of Canadians live in southern Ontario and Quebec near the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.

Quebec and Ontario stretch from the United States hundreds of miles north to Hudson Bay, an arm of the Arctic Ocean, as does Manitoba, the first of Canada�s prairie provinces. Churchill, Manitoba is famous worldwide for its polar bear viewing, even though it�s much farther south than polar bears live in Alaska or Norway. Manitoba�s vast forests boast one of the greatest populations of the great gray owl, its provincial bird. The prairies? They�re mostly in the south, forming part of the Great Plains that stretch across the United States into Texas.

The prairie provinces resemble the states of Alabama and Mississippi in that they�re tall, share similar shapes and share relatively straight boundaries with each other. Saskatchewan is the middle of the three prairie provinces. The western prairie province is Alberta, which also embraces the Rocky Mountains, similar to Montana to the south.

British Columbia resembles California in that it is very tall, borders the Pacific Ocean, generally boasts a mild climate and is home to a great diversity of peoples. The coastal rainforest that begins in northern California stretches through British Columbia and into Southeastern Alaska.

The northern provinces consist of Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, Canada�s newest territory.

Most of Canada�s provinces and territories are represented by official flowers, trees and birds. Several also have official minerals or gemstones. Nova Scotia has an official berry, dog and boat, Quebec an official insect. Official tartans and soils have also been adopted by some provinces.

Here are Canadas Mammals:
---------------------------------------------National Parks Mammals List
Order Marsupiala

Family Didelphidae

VIRGINIA OPOSSUM, Didelahis virginiana Kerr

Order Insectivora

Family Soricidae

MASKED SHREW, Sorax cinereus Kerr

VAGRANT SHREW, Sorex vagrans Baird

DUSKY SHREW, Sorex obscurus Merriam

AMERICAN WATER SHREW, Sorex palustris Richardson

SMOKY SHREW, Sorex fumius Miller

ARCTIC SHREW, Sorex arcticus kerr

GASP� SHREW, Sorex gaspensis Anthony and Goodwin

PIGMY SHREW, Microsorex hoyi (Baird)

SHORT-TAILED SHREW, Blarina brevicauda (Say)

LEAST SHREW, Cryptotis parva (Say)

TUNDRA SHREW, Sorex arcticus tundrensis Merriam

Family Talpidae

HAIRY-TAILED MOLE, Parascalopes breweri (Bachman)

EASTERN MOLE, Scalopus aquaticus (Linnaeus)

STAR-NOSED MOLE, Condylura cristata (Linnaeus)

Order Chiroptera

Family Vespertilionidae

LITTLE BROWN BAT, Myotis lucifugus (LeConte)

YUMA BAT, Myotis yumanensis (H.Allen)

KEEN'S BAT, Myotis keenii (Merriam)

KEEN'S (S) BAT, Myotis keenii keenii (Merriam)

LONG-EARED BAT, Myotis evotis (H.Allen)

LONG-LEGGED BAT, Myotis volans (H.Allen)

CALIFORNIA BAT, Myotis californicus (Audubon-Bachman)

CALIFORNIA (S) BAT, Myotis californicus caurinus Miller

SMALL-FOOTED BAT, Myotis leibii (Audubon and Bachman)

SILVER-HAIRED BAT, Lasionycteris noctivagans (LeConte)

EASTERN PIPISTRELLE, Pipistrellus subflavus (F.Cuvier)

BIG BROWN BAT, Eptesicus fuscus (Palisot de Beauvois)

EVENING BAT, Nycticeius humeralis (Rafinesque)

RED BAT, Lasiurus borealis (M�ller)

HOARY BAT, Lasiurus cinereus (Palisot de Beauvois)

NORTHERN LONG-EARED BAT, Myotis keenii septentrionalis (Trouessart)

TOWNSEND'S BIG-EARED BAT, Plecotus townsendii Cooper

Order Lagomorpha

Family Ochotonidae

AMERICAN PIKA, Ochotona princeps (Richardson)

Family Leporidae

EASTERN COTTONTAIL, Sylvilagus floridanus (J.A.Allen)

NUTTALL'S (S) COTTONTAIL, Sylvilagus nuttalii grangeri (J.A.Allen)

SNOWSHOE HARE, Lepus americanus Erxleben

ARCTIC HARE, Lepus arcticus Ross

WHITE-TAILED JACK RABBIT, Lepus townsendii Bachman

EUROPEAN HARE, Lepus europaeus Pallas

Order Rodentia

Family Sciuridae

EASTERN CHIPMUNK Tamias striatus (Linnaeus)

LEAST CHIPMUNK, Eutamias minimus (Bachman)

YELLOW PINE CHIPMUMK, Eutamias amoenus (J.A.Allen)

RED-TAILED CHIPMUNK, Eutamias ruficaudus A.H.Howell

WOODCHUCK,Marmota monax (Linnaeus)

YELLOW-BELLIED MARMOT, Marmota flaviventris (Audubon and Bachman)

HOARY MARMOT, Marmota caligata (Eschscholtz)

RICHARDSON'S GROUND SQUIRREL, Spermophilus richardsonii (Sabine)

COLUMBIAN GROUND SQUIRREL, Spermophilus columbianus (Ord)

ARCTIC GROUND SQUIRREL, Spermophilus parryii (Richardson)

THIRTEEN-LINED GROUND SQUIRREL, Spermophilus tridecemlineatus (Mitchell)

FRANKLIN'S GROUND SQUIRREL, Spermophilus franklinii (Sabine)

GOLDEN-MANTLED GROUND SQUIRREL, Spermophilus lateralis (Say)

BLACK-TAILED PRAIRIE DOG, Cynomys ludovicianus (Ord)

GREY SQUIRREL, Sciurus carolinensis Gmelin

AMERICAN RED SQUIRREL, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus (Erxleben)

SOUTHERN FLYING SQUIRREL, Glaucomys volans (Linnaeus)

NORTHERN FLYING SQUIRREL, Glaucomys sabrinus (Shaw)

FamilyGeomyidae

NORTHERN POCKET GOPHER, Thomomys talpoides (Richardson)

FamilyHeteromyidae

OLIVE-BACKED POCKET MOUSE, Perognathus fasciatus Wied-Neuwied

Family Castoridae

AMERICAN BEAVER, castor canadensis Kuhl

Family Muridae

DEER MOUSE, Peromyscus maniculatus (Wagner)

WHITE-FOOTED DEER MOUSE, Peromyscus maniculatus keeni (Rhoads)

SITKA MOUSE, Peromyscus sitkensis Merriam

WHITE-FOOTED MOUSE, Peromyscus leucopus (Rafinesque)

NORTHERN GRASSHOPPER MOUSE, Onychomys leucogaster (Wied-Neuwied)

NORTHERN RED-BACKED VOLE, Clethrionomys rutilus Pallas

GAPPER'S RED-BACKED VOLE, Clethrionomys gapperi (Vigors)

BROWN LEMMING, Lemmus sibiricus Kerr

SOUTHERN BOG LEMMING, Synaptomys cooperi Baird

NORTHERN BOG LEMMING, Synaptomys borealis (Richardson)

HEATHER VOLE, Phenacomys intermedius Merriam

COLLARED LEMMING, Dicrostonyx torquatus (Pallas)

MUSKRAT, Ondatra zibethicus (Linnaeus)

RICHARDSON'S WATER VOLE, Arvicola richardsoni DeKay

WOODLAND VOLE, Microtus pinetorum (LeConte)

RAIRIE VOLE, Microtus ochrogaster (Wagner)

SINGING VOLE, Microtus miurus Osgood

MEADOW VOLE, Microtus pennsylvanicus (Ord)

SAGEBRUSH VOLE, Lagurus curtatus (Cope)

TOWNSEND'S VOLE, Microtus townsendii (Bachmann)

ROOT VOLE, Microtus oeconomus (Pallas)

LONG-TAILED VOLE, Microtus longicaudus (Merriam)

ROCK VOLE, Microtus chrotorrhinus (Miller)

CHESTNUT-CHEEKED VOLE, Microtus xanthognathus (Leach)

NORTHERN VOLE, Microtus oeconomus macfarlani Merriam

ROOF RAT, Rattus rattus (Linnaeus)

NORWAY RAT, Rattus norvegicus (Berkenhout)

ALEXANDRIAN ROOF RAT, Rattus rattus alexandrinus

HOUSE MOUSE, Mus musculus Linnaeus

BUSHY-TAILED WOOD RAT, Neotoma cinerea (Ord)

SOUTHERN RED-BACKED VOLE, Clethrionomys gapperi (Vigors)

SIBERIAN LEMMING, Lemmus sibiricus helvolus (Richardson)

Family Dipodidae

WESTERN JUMPING MOUSE, Zapus princeps J.A.Allen

MEADOW JUMPING MOUSE, Zapus hudsonius (Zimmermann)

WOODLAND JUMPING MOUSE, Napaeozapus insignis (Miller)

Family Erethizontidae

AMERICAN PORCUPINE, Erethizon dorsatum (Linnaeus)

Order Cetacea

Family Ziphiidae

GIANT BEAKED WHALE, Berardius bairdii Stejnener

SOWERBY'S BEAKED WHALE, Mesoplodon bidens (Sowerby)

BLAINVILLE'S BEAKED WHALE, Mesoplodon densirostris (Blainville)

TRUE'S BEAKED WHALE, Mesoplodon mirusTrue

STEJNEGER'S BEAKED WHALE, Mesoplodon stejnegeri

GOOSE-BEAKED WHALE, Ziphius cavirostris G.Cuvier

NORTHERN BOTTLENOSED WHALE, Hyperoodon ampullatus (Foster)

Family Physeteridae

SPERM WHALE, Physeter catodon Linnaeus

Family Monodontidae

BELUGA (WHITE WHALE), Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas)

NARWHAL, Monodon monoceros Linnaeus

Family Delphinidae

BLUE DOLPHIN, Stenella caeruleoalba Mayen

COMMON DOLPHIN, Delphinus delphis Linnaeus

NORTHERN RIGHT-WHALE DOLPHIN, Lissodelphis borealis (Peale)

WHITE-BEAKED DOLPHIN, Lagenorhynchus albirostris Gray

ATLANTIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN, Lagenorhynchus acutus (Gray)

PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens Gill

KILLER WHALE, Orcinus orca (Linnaeus)

ATLANTIC PILOT WHALE, Globicephala melaena (Traill)

PACIFIC PILOT WHALE, Globicephala macrorhyncha Gray

HARBOUR PORPOISE, Phocoena phocoena (Linnaeus)

DALL'S PORPOISE, Phocoenoides dalli (True)

FamilyEschrichtidae

GREY WHALE, Eschrichtius robustus (Lilljeborg)

Family Balaenopteridae

FIN WHALE, Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus)

SEI WHALE, Balaenoptera borealis Lesson

MINKE WHALE, Balaenoptera acutorostrata Lacepede

BLUE WHALE, Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus)

HUMPBACK WHALE, Megaptera novoeanglioe (Borowski)

Family Balaenidae

RIGHT WHALE,Balaena glacialis Borowski

BOWHEAD WHALE, Balaena mysticetus Linnaeus

Order Carnivora

Family Canidae

COYOTE, Canis latrans Say

WOLF,Canis lupus Linnaeus

ARCTIC WOLF, Canis lupus arctos Pocock

ARCTIC FOX, Alopex lagopus (Linnaeus)

RED FOX, Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus)

GRAY FOX, Urocyon cinereoargenteus (Schreber)

Family Ursidae

AMERICAN BLACK BEAR,Ursus americanus Pallas

GRIZZLY BEAR, Ursus arctos Linnaeus

POLAR BEAR, Ursus maritimus Phipps

Family Procyonidae

RACCOON, Procyon lotor (Linnaeus)

Family Mustelidae

AMERICAN MARTEN, Martes americana (Turton)

FISHER, Martes pennanti (Erxleben)

ERMINE, Mustela erminea Linnaeus

LONG-TAILED WEASEL, Mustela frenata Lichtenstein

LEAST WEASEL, Mustela nivalis Linnaeus

AMERICAN MINK, Mustela vison Schreber

SEA MINK, Mustela macrodon (Prentiss)

WOLVERINE,Gulo gulo (Linnaeus)

AMERICAN BADGER, Taxidea taxus (Schreber)

STRIPED SKUNK, Mephitis mephitis (Schreber)

RIVER OTTER, Lontra canadensis (Schreber)

SEA OTTER, Enhydra lutris (Linnaeus)

Family Felidae

COUGAR, Felis concolorLinnaeus

LYNX, Lynx lynx (Linnaeus)

BOBCAT, lynx rufus (Schreber)

Order Pinnipedia

Family Otariidae

NORTHERN SEA LION, Eumetopias jubata (Schreber)

CALIFORNIA SEA LION, Zalophus californianus (Lesson)

NORTHERN FUR SEAL, Callorhinus ursinus (Linnaeus)

Family Odobenidae

WALRUS, Odobemus rosmarus (Linnaeus)

Family Phocidae

BEARDED SEAL, Erignathus barbatus (Erxleben)

GREY SEAL, Halichoerus grypus (Fabricius)

HARBOUR SEAL, Phoca vitulina Linnaeus

RINGED SEAL, Phoca hispida Schreber

HARP SEAL, Phoca groenlandica Erxleben

HOODED SEAL, Cystophora cristata(Erxleben)

NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL, Mirounga angustirostris (Gill)

Order Artiodactyla

Family Cervidae

CARIBOU, Rangifer tarandus (Linnaeus)

WOODLAND CARIBOU, Rangifer tarandus caribou (Gmelin)

PEARY CARIBOU, Rangifer tarandus pearyi (J.A.Allen)

BARREN-GROUND CARIBOU, Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus (Linnaeus)

DAWSON CARIBOU, Rangifer tarandus dawsoni Seton

MULE DEER, Odocoileus hemionus (Rafinesque)

WHITE-TAILED DEER, Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann)

BLACK-TAILED DEER, Odocoileus hemionus columbianus (Richardson)

MOOSE, Alces alces (Linnaeus)

EASTERN ELK, Cervus elaphus canadensis

AMERICAN ELK, Cervus elaphus Linnaeus

EUROPEAN RED DEER, Cervus elaphus elaphus Linnaeus

WAPITI, Cervus elaphus nelsoni V.Bailey

ROOSEVELT ELK, Cervus elaphus roosevelti (Merriam)

Family Antilocapridae

PRONGHORN, Antilocapra americana (Ord)

Family Bovidae

AMERICAN BISON,Bison bison (Linnaeus)

WOOD BUFFALO, Bison bison athabascae Rhoads

PLAINS BISON, Bison bison bison (Linnaeus)

MOUNTAIN GOAT, Oreamnos americanus (de Blainville)

MUSKOX, Ovibos moschatus (Zimmermann)

BIGHORN SHEEP, Ovis canadensis Shaw

DALL'S SHEEP, Ovis dalli Nelson
--------------------------------------------

Thats quite a list! Something for everyone.

Hunters, guides, outfitters, residents, non-residents - tell us all about your experiencs and impressions. There surely has to be plenty to tell.

Tyler R.V.

Edited by Tyler

[This message has been edited by William E. Tibbe (edited 07-14-2001).]

My name is Chris, and I AM CANADIAN.

Canuck

------------------
Ignorance is curable, but stupidity is terminal.

got to load more bullets....

Daryl

------------------
Safety & Ethics,Accuracy, Velocity, Energy
Joe M

Overall, I doubt Canada is much different than the U.S. in it's attitudes toward hunters and hunting: Urban areas not so sympathetic, and rural areas find it a way of life.

The ban on spring bear in Ontario was not so much "anti-hunting" as it was a misunderstanding of bear biology and a desire to protect a natural resource.

Can't say I like the $50 firearms fee, but I can understand the perception of Canadian officials that they had no handle on firearms being "unofficially" imported into the country by Americans leaving them behind.

Looking forward to going back someday.

Polar bears live in the Arctic. They do not stay in one place, but travel across the snow and pack ice looking for food. Sometimes they swim far out to sea.

2. APPEARANCE

They are the largest bears in the world.
Adults weight 650 to 1100 pounds (295 kg to 498 kg )
Males are larger than the females.
A polar bear's coat can be from white to yellowish in color.

3. FOOD

When the bears come ashore in the summer they eat plants and even berries.

In late summer and early autumm, the bears go along the coastline looking for dead whales and dead walruses. They will also eat lemmings, arctic foxes, and birds.

Their favorite food is ringed seals. The polar bear waits by the seal's breathing holes in the ice, and quickly snatches the seal when it pokes its head out of the hole.

4. ADAPTATIONS

Polar bears are able to swim in the icy Arctic Ocean without freezing. They have thick oily fur coats and a layer of fat under their skin. When bears comes out of the water, they shake the water off their coats before it freezes.

The bear's large feet are like snowshoes.The hair on the soles ( bottoms ) of their feet help the bear walk on the slippery ice and snow. They walk with toes pointing inward, to avoid slipping.

Polar bears are good swimmers. They paddle with their front legs and use their hind legs as rudders.

The polar bear has a very good sense of smell, and can sniff dead animals from far away, or can find seals in dens beneath the snow.

The polar bear's huge teeth are for tearing the prey apart.

5. PROTECTION

The polar bear is so strong it can kill an animal with one blow to the head.

6. THE YOUNG

The female ususally has two cubs (and sometimes three). When the cubs are born, they are very tiny. They weigh less than 2 pounds (less than a kilogram). The cubs are hairless, blind, and deaf. The mother can hide them in between the toes of her front paws.

Cubs are born in dens in the snow ( In Nov. or Dec.) and stay in the den for about three months, protected from the cold and the wind. The mother feeds them milk, but she has nothing to eat.

After the bears leave the den (in March or April) , the mother and her cubs stay together for about two years. In one year the cubs are as big as a person.

A female polar bear gives birth every third year.

7. IMPORTANT FACTS

Sometimes polar bears raid towns and villages. They can break into buildings to find food. Polar bears are found near the town of Churchill, in Canada. They search for food at the garbage dump outside of town. Sometimes they go right into the town. Bears that raid towns are not shot, but caught and taken back to the wild.

The polar bear eats the seal's skin and fat and internal organs but not the meat.

Most northern countries have laws to protect the polar bear. Hunters are still able to kill a few each year.
____________________________________________

Do we have any polar bear hunters or guides?

=============================================

Tyler R.T.

Polar Bears:

Between 4 and 5 decades ago tiger hunting ended forever. Now it is gone.

Polar bear hunting is still available in Canada. However, by the year 2050 quite probably it will be no longer. The end of another era. Your sons or grandsons will remember when their dad or grandpa hunted polar bears.

There are two primary reasons. The glaciers and polar ice caps are melting. Polar bears are already suffering around Churchill and having problems with the ice packs and finding food. The second reason is pollution and contamination that is insidiously causing birth defects.

Musk Ox, Caribou, Grizzly;

Arctic big game include Musk ox - March, April, late fall( there are 64,000 in one territory ), Arctic Caribou, small, white ( hunted on Victoria Island, along with musk ox ), barren ground grizzly April and May, Polar bears March, April, May. Hunters must use sled dogs, not snow mobiles. Polar bear skins taken in certain areas can be imported into the USA.

Arctic animals are different,and fearless. They don't hide. They don't have any reason to. The land is barren and treeless. You can see them and they can see you.

One outfitter is Fred Webb, Webb Outfitting (North West Territories )Ltd., Dept.AH. P.O. Box 29563, Maple Ridge, BC V2X2V0, 604-463-2025.

Elk and Dall sheep:

There are so many elk now in Banff Park that they stroll around casually all over. Banff is about 80 miles west of Calgary, Alberta.

The sheep graze and lay on the slopes by the Trans Canada Highway casually in plain view.

Caribou:

There are several different sub-categories of Caribou in Canada.

We want to zoom in on some of the best areas to hunt the various animals, moose, deer, bear.

Where do Canadians and non-residents hunt? Where are the hot spots? Who are the guides and how do they do?
=============================================

Tyler R.T.

I didn't see it mentioned, but one other unique thing about polar bears is their skin colour. It's black, under all that white fur.

I had no idea we had so many different rodents. Clearly, there is a market for this. Top dollar could be charged for a "Complete Canadian Rodent Safari." All trophies taken would easily make B&C, P&Y, SCI record books.

If I lived on our East Coast I'd probably go to Newf. every year, or every other year. Thats because I dearly love to eat moose meat, and, they are thick as flies in Newfoundland. True there are bigger trophy's in Alaska, but unless you have a friend up there you pay thru the nose for a moose outfitter.

I forget what I payed for a moose,Bear, and caribou hunt in Newfoundland but it was very reasonable. I took a nice young Bull moose and a nice caribou ; I came "REAL" close to getting a 500lb class BLK Bear. Its a fairly rugged wilderness hunt, a lot of big hill's, creek's, and bog's.

I never tire of eating a nice young moose, its my favorite wild game. Newfoundland is a nice stop for a big game hunter..........10

I know of some fabulous bucks taken there by people I know.

As I understand it there are basically three regions; #1. Wilderness that is wooded, #2. farmland and #3. fringe land. The method used was baiting over tree stands. Is that still legal? It is not in Alberta.
=============================================

Tyler R.T.

Canada is the second largest nation and landmass. It weighs in at 9.97 million miles square. Russia is close to double with an astounding 17.something million miles square.

Turok

Yes, indeed Russia is, in fact, the "largest" country in "land mass" in the world.

Russia

Introduction

Background: The defeat of the Russian Empire in World War I led to the seizure of power by the communists and the formation of the USSR. The brutal rule of Josef STALIN (1924-53) strengthened Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 broke up the USSR into 15 independent republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the communist period.

Geography

Location: Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is sometimes included with Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates: 60 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area:
total: 17,075,200 sq km
land: 16,995,800 sq km
water: 79,400 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than 1.8 times the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 19,917 km
border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland 1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km, Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,441 km, Norway 167 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Ukraine 1,576 km

Coastline: 37,653 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast

Terrain: broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m

Natural resources: wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber
note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources

Land use:
arable land: 8%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 46%
other: 42% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 40,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula

Environment - current issues: air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial, municipal, and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and sea coasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes intense radioactive contamination; ground water contamination from toxic waste

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture

People

Population: 146,001,176 (July 2000 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 13,493,610; female 12,971,546)
15-64 years: 69% (male 48,983,755; female 52,140,022)
65 years and over: 13% (male 5,802,129; female 12,610,114) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.38% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 9.02 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 13.8 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.46 male(s)/female
total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 20.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.19 years
male: 61.95 years
female: 72.69 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.25 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Russian(s)
adjective: Russian

Ethnic groups: Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%, Bashkir 0.9%, Byelorussian 0.8%, Moldavian 0.7%, other 8.1%

Religions: Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other

Languages: Russian, other

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 100%
female: 97% (1989 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Russian Federation
conventional short form: Russia
local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya
local short form: Rossiya
former: Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Data code: RS

Government type: federation

Capital: Moscow

Administrative divisions: 49 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics* (respublik, singular - respublika), 10 autonomous okrugs**(avtonomnykh okrugov, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 6 krays*** (krayev, singular - kray), 2 federal cities (singular - gorod)****, and 1 autonomous oblast*****(avtonomnaya oblast'); Adygeya (Maykop)*, Aginskiy Buryatskiy (Aginskoye)**, Altay (Gorno-Altaysk)*, Altayskiy (Barnaul)***, Amurskaya (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'skaya, Astrakhanskaya, Bashkortostan (Ufa)*, Belgorodskaya, Bryanskaya, Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude)*, Chechnya (Groznyy)*, Chelyabinskaya, Chitinskaya, Chukotskiy (Anadyr')**, Chuvashiya (Cheboksary)*, Dagestan (Makhachkala)*, Evenkiyskiy (Tura)**, Ingushetiya (Nazran')*, Irkutskaya, Ivanovskaya, Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik)*, Kaliningradskaya, Kalmykiya (Elista)*, Kaluzhskaya, Kamchatskaya (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk)*, Kareliya (Petrozavodsk)*, Kemerovskaya, Khabarovskiy***, Khakasiya (Abakan)*, Khanty-Mansiyskiy (Khanty-Mansiysk)**, Kirovskaya, Komi (Syktyvkar)*, Koryakskiy (Palana)**, Kostromskaya, Krasnodarskiy***, Krasnoyarskiy***, Kurganskaya, Kurskaya, Leningradskaya, Lipetskaya, Magadanskaya, Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola)*, Mordoviya (Saransk)*, Moskovskaya, Moskva (Moscow)****, Murmanskaya, Nenetskiy (Nar'yan-Mar)**, Nizhegorodskaya, Novgorodskaya, Novosibirskaya, Omskaya, Orenburgskaya, Orlovskaya (Orel), Penzenskaya, Permskaya, Komi-Permyatskiy (Kudymkar)**, Primorskiy (Vladivostok)***, Pskovskaya, Rostovskaya, Ryazanskaya, Sakha (Yakutsk)*, Sakhalinskaya (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samarskaya, Sankt-Peterburg (Saint Petersburg)****, Saratovskaya, Severnaya Osetiya-Alaniya (Vladikavkaz)*, Smolenskaya, Stavropol'skiy***, Sverdlovskaya (Yekaterinburg), Tambovskaya, Tatarstan (Kazan')*, Taymyrskiy (Dudinka)**, Tomskaya, Tul'skaya, Tverskaya, Tyumenskaya, Tyva (Kyzyl)*, Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)*, Ul'yanovskaya, Ust'-Ordynskiy Buryatskiy (Ust'-Ordynskiy)**, Vladimirskaya, Volgogradskaya, Vologodskaya, Voronezhskaya, Yamalo-Nenetskiy (Salekhard)**, Yaroslavskaya, Yevreyskaya*****; note - when using a place name with an adjectival ending 'skaya' or 'skiy,' the word Oblast' or Avonomnyy Okrug or Kray should be added to the place name
note: the autonomous republics of Chechnya and Ingushetiya were formerly the autonomous republic of Checheno-Ingushetia (the boundary between Chechnya and Ingushetia has yet to be determined); administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence: 24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 June (1990)

Constitution: adopted 12 December 1993

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (since 7 May 2000); note - President YEL'TSIN resigned on 31 December 1999, naming Vladimir PUTIN as Acting President until new elections were held on 26 March 2000
head of government: Acting Premier Mikhail Mikhaylovich KASYANOV (since 7 May 2000); Deputy Premiers Viktor Borisovich KHRISTENKO (since 31 May 1999), Ilya Iosifovich KLEBANOV (since 31 May 1999), Nikolay Pavlovich KOSHMAN (since 15 October 1999), Valentina Ivanovna MATVIYENKO (since 22 September 1998), Valdimir Nikolayevich SHCHERBAK (since 25 May 1999), Sergey Kuzhugetovich SHOYGU (since 10 January 2000)
cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of the premier and his deputies, ministers, and other agency heads; all are appointed by the president
note: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a Security Council also reports directly to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 March 2000 (next to be held NA 2004); note - no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns, the premier succeeds him; the premier serves as acting president until a new presidential election is held, which must be within three months; premier appointed by the president with the approval of the Duma
election results: Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN elected president; percent of vote - PUTIN 52.9%, Gennadiy Aadreyevich ZYUGANOV 29.2%, Grigoriy Alekseyevich YAVLINSKIY 5.8%

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists of the Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats, filled ex officio by the top executive and legislative officials in each of the 89 federal administrative units - oblasts, krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg; members serve four-year terms) and the State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats, half elected by proportional representation from party lists winning at least 5% of the vote, and half from single-member constituencies; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: State Duma - last held 19 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2003)
election results: State Duma - percent of vote received by parties clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share of the 225 party list seats - Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF) 24.29%, Unity 23.32%, Fatherland-All Russia (OVR) 13.33%, Union of Right Forces 8.52%, Liberal Democratic Party (Zhirinovsky Bloc) 5.98%, Yabloko 5.93%; seats by party - Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF) 90, Unity 82, People's Deputies faction 57, Fatherland-All Russia (OVR) 45, Russia's Regions 42, Agro-industrial faction 39, Union of Right Forces 32, Yabloko 21, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia 17, independents 16, repeat election required 8, vacant 1

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, judges are appointed for life by the Federation Council on the recommendation of the president; Supreme Court, judges are appointed for life by the Federation Council on the recommendation of the president; Superior Court of Arbitration, judges are appointed for life by the Federation Council on the recommendation of the president

Political parties and leaders: Agro-industrial faction [leader NA]; Communist Party of the Russian Federation or KPRF [Gennadiy Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Fatherland-All Russia or OVR [Yevgeniy Maksimovich PRIMAKOV, Yuriy Mikhailovich LUZHKOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia [Vladimir Volfovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; People's Deputies faction [leader NA]; Russia's Regions [leader NA]; Union of Right Forces [Sergey Vladilenovich KIRIYENKO]; Unity [Sergey Kuzhugetovich SHOYGU]; Yabloko Bloc [Grigoriy Alekseyevich YAVLINSKIY]
note: some 150 political parties, blocs, and movements registered with the Justice Ministry as of the 19 December 1998 deadline to be eligible to participate in the 19 December 1999 Duma elections; of these, 36 political organizations actually qualified to run slates of candidates on the Duma party list ballot, 6 parties cleared the 5% threshold to win a proportional share of the 225 party seats in the Duma, 8 other organizations hold seats in the Duma: Bloc of Nikolayev and Academician Fedorov, Congress of Russian Communities, Movement in Support of the Army, Our Home Is Russia, Party of Pensioners, Russian All-People's Union, Russian Socialist Party, and Spiritual Heritage; primary political blocs include pro-market democrats - (Yabloko Bloc and Union of Right Forces), anti-market and/or ultranationalist (Communist Party of the Russian Federation and Liberal Democratic Party of Russia)

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: APEC, BIS, BSEC, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, G- 8, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant), ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV
chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700 through 5704
FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735
consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco, and Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James F. COLLINS
embassy: Novinskiy Bul'var 19/23, Moscow
mailing address: APO AE 09721
telephone: [7] (095) 252-24-51 through 59
FAX: [7] (095) 956-42-61
consulate(s) general: St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

Economy

Economy - overview: Nine years after the collapse of the USSR, Russia is still struggling to establish a modern market economy and achieve strong economic growth. Russian GDP has contracted an estimated 45% since 1991, despite the country's wealth of natural resources, its well-educated population, and its diverse - although increasingly dilapidated - industrial base. By the end of 1997, Russia had achieved some progress. Inflation had been brought under control, the ruble was stabilized, and an ambitious privatization program had transferred thousands of enterprises to private ownership. Some important market-oriented laws had also been passed, including a commercial code governing business relations and the establishment of an arbitration court for resolving economic disputes. But in 1998, the Asian financial crisis swept through the country, contributing to a sharp decline in Russia's earnings from oil exports and resulting in an exodus of foreign investors. Matters came to a head in August 1998 when the government allowed the ruble to fall precipitously and stopped payment on $40 billion in ruble bonds. In 1999, output increased for only the second time since 1991, by an officially estimated 3.2%, regaining much of the 4.6% drop of 1998. This increase was achieved despite a year of potential turmoil that included the tenure of three premiers and culminated in the New Year's Eve resignation of President YELTSIN. Of great help was the tripling of international oil prices in the second half of 1999, raising the export surplus to $29 billion. On the negative side, inflation rose to an average 86% in 1999, compared with a 28% average in 1998 and a hoped-for 30% average in 2000. Ordinary persons found their wages falling by roughly 30% and their pensions by 45%. The PUTIN government has given high priority to supplementing low incomes by paying down wage and pension arrears. Many investors, both domestic and international remain on the sidelines, scared off by Russia's long-standing problems with capital flight, reliance on barter transactions, widespread corruption among officials, and endemic organized crime.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $620.3 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.2% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,200 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.4%
industry: 38.5%
services: 53.1% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 22.2% (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 86% (1999 est.)

Labor force: 66 million (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 15%, industry 30%, services 55% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 12.4% (1999 est.), plus considerable underemployment

Budget:
revenues: $24.08 billion
expenditures: $26.82 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Industries: complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles; shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: 8.1% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 771.947 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 67.77%
hydro: 19.49%
nuclear: 12.74%
other: 0% (1998)

Electricity - consumption: 702.711 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports: 21 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports: 5.8 billion kWh (1998)

Agriculture - products: grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef, milk

Exports: $75.4 billion (1999 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and military manufactures

Exports - partners: Ukraine, Germany, US, Belarus, Netherlands, China

Imports: $48.2 billion (1999 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, grain, sugar, semifinished metal products

Imports - partners: Germany, Belarus, Ukraine, US, Kazakhstan, Italy

Debt - external: $166 billion (yearend 1999)

Economic aid - recipient: $8.523 billion (1995)

Currency: 1 ruble (R) = 100 kopeks

Exchange rates: rubles per US$1 - 26.7996 (December 1999), 24.6199 (1999), 9.7051 (1998), 5,785 (1997), 5,121 (1996), 4,559 (1995)
note: the post-1 January 1998 ruble is equal to 1,000 of the pre-1 January 1998 rubles

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 25.019 million (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 645,000 (1999)

Telephone system: the telephone system has undergone significant changes in the 1990s; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed to offer communication services; access to digital lines has improved, particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail services are improving; Russia has made progress toward building the telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy
domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are still outdated, inadequate, and low density
international: Russia is connected internationally by three undersea fiber-optic cables; digital switches in several cities provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls; satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita

Radio broadcast stations: AM 420, FM 447, shortwave 56 (1998)

Radios: 61.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 7,349 (1996)

Televisions: 60.5 million (1997)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 83 (Russia and Kazakhstan) (1999)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 150,000 km; note - 87,000 km in common carrier service; 63,000 km serve specific industries and are not available for common carrier use
broad gauge: 150,000 km 1.520-m gauge (January 1997 est.)

Highways:
total: 948,000 km (including 416,000 km which serve specific industries or farms and are not maintained by governmental highway maintenance departments)
paved: 336,000 km
unpaved: 612,000 km (including 411,000 km of graveled or some other form of surfacing and 201,000 km of unstabilized earth) (1995 est.)

Waterways: total navigable routes in general use 101,000 km; routes with navigation guides serving the Russian River Fleet 95,900 km; routes with night navigational aids 60,400 km; man-made navigable routes 16,900 km (January 1994 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 48,000 km; petroleum products 15,000 km; natural gas 140,000 km (June 1993 est.)

Ports and harbors: Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Kaliningrad, Kazan', Khabarovsk, Kholmsk, Krasnoyarsk, Moscow, Murmansk, Nakhodka, Nevel'sk, Novorossiysk, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, St. Petersburg, Rostov, Sochi, Tuapse, Vladivostok, Volgograd, Vostochnyy, Vyborg

Merchant marine:
total: 695 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,920,923 GRT/4,867,676 DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 19, cargo 379, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 21, combination ore/oil 3, container 25, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 35, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 149, refrigerated cargo 26, roll-on/roll-off 22, short-sea passenger 7 (1999 est.)

Airports: 2,517 (1994 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 630
over 3,047 m: 54
2,438 to 3,047 m: 202
1,524 to 2,437 m: 108
914 to 1,523 m: 115
under 914 m: 151 (1994 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1,887
over 3,047 m: 25
2,438 to 3,047 m: 45
1,524 to 2,437 m: 134
914 to 1,523 m: 291
under 914 m: 1,392 (1994 est.)

Military

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Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Strategic Rocket Forces

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 38,825,113 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 30,294,374 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 1,195,916 (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: dispute over at least two small sections of the boundary with China remain to be settled, despite 1997 boundary agreement; islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan; Estonian and Russian negotiators reached a technical border agreement in December 1996 which has not been ratified; draft treaty delimiting the boundary with Latvia has not been signed; has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation; 1997 border agreement with Lithuania not yet ratified

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and producer of amphetamines, mostly for domestic consumption; government has active eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian opiates and cannabis and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe, possibly to the US, and growing domestic market; major source of heroin precursor chemicals

Introduction

Background: A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Its paramount political problem continues to be the relationship of the province of Quebec, with its French-speaking residents and unique culture, to the remainder of the country.

Geography

Location: Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and North Pacific Ocean, north of the conterminous US

Geographic coordinates: 60 00 N, 95 00 W

Map references: North America

Area:
total: 9,976,140 sq km
land: 9,220,970 sq km
water: 755,170 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than the US

Land boundaries:
total: 8,893 km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Coastline: 243,791 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Terrain: mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

Natural resources: iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 3%
forests and woodland: 54%
other: 38% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 7,100 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow

Environment - current issues: air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; nearly 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US/Canada border

People

Population: 31,281,092 (July 2000 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 3,077,994; female 2,932,821)
15-64 years: 68% (male 10,714,305; female 10,591,494)
65 years and over: 13% (male 1,683,704; female 2,280,774) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.02% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 11.41 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 7.39 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 6.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.43 years
male: 76.02 years
female: 83 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian

Ethnic groups: British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26%

Religions: Roman Catholic 42%, Protestant 40%, other 18%

Languages: English 59.3% (official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% (1986 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Canada

Data code: CA

Government type: confederation with parliamentary democracy

Capital: Ottawa

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Independence: 1 July 1867 (from UK)

National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Constitution: 17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the machinery of the government was set up in the British North America Act of 1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs

Legal system: based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7 October 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean CHRETIEN (since 4 November 1993)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons is automatically designated by the governor general to become prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (a body whose members are appointed to serve until reaching 75 years of age by the governor general and selected on the advice of the prime minister; its normal limit is 104 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (301 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 2 June 1997 (next to be held by NA June 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 38%, Reform Party 19%, Progressive Conservative Party 19%, Bloc Quebecois 11%, New Democratic Party 11%, other 2%; seats by party - Liberal Party 155, Reform Party 60, Bloc Quebecois 44, New Democratic Party 21, Progressive Conservative Party 20, independents 1
note: seats by party as of December 1999 - Liberal Party 157, Reform Party 57, Bloc Quebecois 44, New Democratic Party 20, Progressive Conservative Party 19, independents 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the prime minister through the governor general

Political parties and leaders: Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Liberal Party [Jean CHRETIEN]; New Democratic Party [Alexa MCDONOUGH]; Progressive Conservative Party [Joe CLARK]; Reform Party [Preston MANNING]

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURCA, MINURSO, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond A. J. CHRETIEN
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle
consulate(s): Miami, Princeton, San Francisco, and San Jose

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon D. GIFFIN
embassy: 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa
mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430
telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470
FAX: [1] (613) 238-5720
consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver

Flag description: three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and red with a red maple leaf centered in the white band

Economy

Economy - overview: As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. Real rates of growth have averaged nearly 3.0% since 1993. Unemployment is falling and government budget surpluses are being partially devoted to reducing the large public sector debt. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which included Mexico) have touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. With its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Two shadows loom, the first being the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas, which has been raising the possibility of a split in the federation. Another long-term concern is the flow south to the US of professional persons lured by higher pay, lower taxes, and the immense high-tech infrastructure.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $722.3 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.6% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $23,300 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 31%
services: 66% (1998)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (1999)

Labor force: 15.9 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: services 75%, manufacturing 16%, construction 5%, agriculture 3%, other 1% (1997)

Unemployment rate: 7.6% (1999)

Budget:
revenues: $121.8 billion
expenditures: $115.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.7 billion (1998)

Industries: processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish products, petroleum and natural gas

Industrial production growth rate: 4.3% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 550.852 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 27.18%
hydro: 59.77%
nuclear: 12.25%
other: 0.8% (1998)

Electricity - consumption: 484.515 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports: 39.502 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports: 11.725 billion kWh (1998)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish

Exports: $277 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities: motor vehicles and parts, newsprint, wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, machinery, natural gas, aluminum, telecommunications equipment, electricity

Exports - partners: US 84%, Japan 3%, UK, Germany, South Korea, Netherlands, China (1998)

Imports: $259.3 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, crude oil, chemicals, motor vehicles and parts, durable consumer goods, electricity

Imports - partners: US 77%, Japan 3%, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea (1998)

Debt - external: $253 billion (1996)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $2.1 billion (1997)

Currency: 1 Canadian dollar (Can$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$1 - 1.4489 (January 2000), 1.4857 (1999), 1.4835 (1998), 1.3846 (1997), 1.3635 (1996), 1.3724 (1995)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 18.5 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 3 million (1999)

Telephone system: excellent service provided by modern technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
international: 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 535, FM 53, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios: 32.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 21.5 million (1997)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 750 (1999 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 36,114 km; note - there are two major transcontinental freight railway systems: Canadian National (privatized November 1995) and Canadian Pacific Railway; passenger service provided by government-operated firm VIA, which has no trackage of its own
standard gauge: 36,114 km 1.435-m gauge (156 km electrified) (1998)

Highways:
total: 901,902 km
paved: 318,371 km (including 16,571 km of expressways)
unpaved: 583,531 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 3,000 km, including Saint Lawrence Seaway

Pipelines: crude and refined oil 23,564 km; natural gas 74,980 km

Ports and harbors: Becancour (Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, New Westminster, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick), St. John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Sydney, Trois-Rivieres, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor

Merchant marine:
total: 114 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,602,275 GRT/2,371,146 DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 61, cargo 11, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 2, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 16, rail car carrier 2, roll-on/roll-off 8, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1 (1999 est.)
note: does not include ships used exclusively in the Great Lakes (1998 est.)

Airports: 1,411 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 515
over 3,047 m: 16
2,438 to 3,047 m: 17
1,524 to 2,437 m: 152
914 to 1,523 m: 240
under 914 m: 90 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 896
1,524 to 2,437 m: 73
914 to 1,523 m: 362
under 914 m: 461 (1999 est.)

Heliports: 15 (1999 est.)

Military

Military branches: Canadian Forces (includes Land Forces Command or LC, Maritime Command or MC, Air Command or AC, Communications Command or CC, Training Command or TC), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 8,282,846 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 7,086,335 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 212,701 (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $7.4 billion (FY97/98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY97/98)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: maritime boundary disputes with the US (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal Island)

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; growing role as a transit point for heroin and cocaine entering the US market
=============================================

Tyler R.T.

I spent some time digging up the Outfitter information for monster bucks.

Northway Outfitters, 306-937-3641, Charles Stone and Derrick Graham, located in Northwestern Saskatchewan near Glaslyn. They hunt the Mosquito Indian Reservation. Bucks run 140, 160, 170 B&C with one monster 214 1/2. Success ration 80 to 90 %.

Does anyone know them?

We will appreciate having names and addresses of outfitters and guides posted. Thanks.
==========================================

Tyler R. T.

I drove to Newfoundland from the US midwest. It wasnt a bad drive but I couldnt really enjoy it cause I was trying to beat a big Hurricane that was threatening the North Atlantic "it ended up veering away and not being a threat". I crossed over on Northern Maine and then took the ferry to NFLD.

Its about a 6 hour ferry ride to the Island on a big rollo ferry. You can rent a cabin for the ride and thats probably best, that way you can sleep and be well rested. I rolled out a sleeping bag in the seat Isle's and nobody bothered me.

We helicoptered out of the Deer Lake area of NFLD, it was about a 1/2 hour chopper ride to the hunting cabin. NFLD is one place where they love hunter's and everyone will treat you well. Its a great place to hunt, I'd go back in a minute.........10

When I lived back East I hunted Ontario and visited Maine. Got as far as Nova Scotia. Was headed for Newfoundland but didn't quite make it.

I have heard about it for a long time, sounds very interesting.

During my visits to Canada I never was able to tell the difference between a Canadian and an American. *( Except the "Quebequoise accent ). I was fishing on a big lake and came upon 2 Quebec'ers who had struck a tree trunk in the water, in a really remote area, and punched a hole in their boat. It was balanced precariously, full of water, and being held up by the tree trunk. They were terror stricken and screaming their heads off. I rescued them but couldn't understand one word either said. When they threw money at me on shore, back at the lodge, and shook my hand I understood that they were grateful.

Regards;

Tyler R.T.

quote:

---

Originally posted by William E. Tibbe:
10 point

When I lived back East I hunted Ontario and visited Maine. Got as far as Nova Scotia. Was headed for Newfoundland but didn't quite make it.

I have heard about it for a long time, sounds very interesting.

During my visits to Canada I never was able to tell the difference between a Canadian and an American. *( Except the "Quebequoise accent ). I was fishing on a big lake and came upon 2 Quebec'ers who had struck a tree trunk in the water, in a really remote area, and punched a hole in their boat. It was balanced precariously, full of water, and being held up by the tree trunk. They were terror stricken and screaming their heads off. I rescued them but couldn't understand one word either said. When they threw money at me on shore, back at the lodge, and shook my hand I understood that they were grateful.

Regards;

Tyler R.T.

---

Tyler,
You got it all wrong.
You see that is the differrence between Canadians and Americans.... A CANADIAN would have left them Quebecers there!

I had to work for my animals, no doubt about that. They grow 'em tough in NFLD and I think I got a bit of respect from those buy's they way the old cripple could cover ground a bit. One thing I never do is show up at a hunting camp and brag about my shooting , or , my level of fitness.

I had a 50yo guide who could have walked me into the grave if he wanted to. He told me about a Yank "marathon runner" who did nothing, on the first "non-hunting" day in camp, but brag about how "Fit" he was.

By the 3rd day he was begging for them to go easier on him. I dont care what kind of shape your in, the only way to train for "walking all day in mountains-bog's-swamps- and thick woods" ; Is , To "walk all day in mountains-bog's-swamps- and thick woods". And those guides did it with heavy weight on their back's, and in their arms.

There are some truly lovely black bear in NFLD , boy, I saw a couple of beauts. Its was pure "bad" luck that I didnt get one. I got to 400 to 500 yrds of a 500 lb class animal but he spooked, and I declined to take such a long shot. I saw another real lovely bear , and he was only about 150 yrds away, but he was in a trot and it would have been poor sportsmenship to shoot at him.

After I got my caribou and moose Im just kind of took it easy, slept late, and kinda hail-heartedly hunted bear. Getting a bear wasnt that important to me and I mostly got the tag to have an exuse to " still hunt" after I got the 2 critter's that were important to me.

The meat from that young Bull I took was the best eating meat I ever had. There was a huge Blueberry bloom while I was there, when we cut the Bull open his stomach was crammed with berries, and it was right before the rut. The hunting was kinda slow cause it was early season, and real warm, but that was more then made up for by the quality of the animals at table.

The caribou was nice eating but boy that moose ! I would hunt moose every year if I could, thats one animal whereas I dont care about the trophy , just the meat. I'd love to take a cow every year just as I did, early season and stuffed on blueberries.

I would recomend anyone, if at all possible, to drive. I hunted with a guy who flew, even tho he lived on the East coast, he flw for the convenience. When he saw all the beutiful meat I had boxed up to take home he was kicking himself in the butt. For some reason he couldnt have the meat shipped to his house, or the cost was to prohibative. I dont remember which.

I came home with 5 big cooler's stuffed with lovely eating. That was sure worth the trouble of the one man drive.......good shooting..............10

I believe you. My friend, and business associate Roger Fortin, in Quebec, would not go into Ontario. He said he could feel the animosity with the Anglo Saxons.

10 Point.

I'm sure I would like Newfoundland. And I also really enjoy moose and caribou. I've developed several wild game recipes that have been exceptionally successful. I found that the food the animals eat and more importantly the way the carcasses are skinned, handled in the field, butchered and wrapped for freezing all have a great bearing on the flavor of the meat.

Is this your outfitter? Looks impressive, nice photos.

http://www.huntingfishing.com/international/trip.html

Harald:

The Northeastern Canadians call Labrador/Newfoundland " the place the Alaskans don't want you to know about". There is purported to be the biggest caribou herd in the world numbering 700,000 to 800,000. The George River herd. You picked a good spot.

But just remember - Alaskan caribou success ratio is 100% and you can shoot them from a boat while they are swimming in ANWR. So take you .22 rimfire and lets see what the guides say about your choice of caliber!!!!

We'll look forward to your report.
=======================================

Regards to All

Tyler R.T.

*( Edited by Tyler )

[This message has been edited by William E. Tibbe (edited 07-15-2001).]