With a country as vast as Canada, it is not surprising to discover that different cultural and economic landscapes define each province and territory. For a more detailed profile of Canada's individual regions, click on one of the provinces or territories to your left.

The geography of Canada, the second largest country in the world, is diverse, with a landscape that changes as you move from east to west, north to south. The most densely populated part of the country is southern Ontario and Québec, which also borders the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River. To the north of this region is the Canadian Shield: thinly soiled, rich in minerals, and dotted with lakes and rivers.

West of Ontario, the scenery consists of the broad, flat Canadian Prairies, which eventually give way to the majestic Rocky Mountains. The thick vegetation of the south thins as you go further north, giving way to tundra and taiga vegetation, and finally to the Arctic barrens.

Initially populated by First Nations people, Canada was briefly claimed by Vikings circa 1000 A.D. before being permanently settled by Europeans starting in the 15th century. Canada's confederacy was declared in 1867, and this great country currently comprises ten provinces and three northern territories.
Today, most Canadians live in Ontario, Québec and British Columbia, the three most populous provinces. Much of the population - especially those immigrating to Canada - choose to reside in urban areas, such as vibrant cities like Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver. 

Boasting more than 200,000 new immigrants per year and the world's highest per capita immigration, Canada is a truly multicultural society ready to embrace newcomers with open arms.