Western Canada: fast facts

Name of region: Canada

All Provinces:

Capital city: Ottawa, in eastern Canada

Size: 3,855,103 square miles, just larger than the United States – second largest country in the world, after Russia

Population: 33,212,696 (July 2008 est.)

Life expectancy:  81.16 years

Ethnic groups: British Isles origin, French origin, other European

Official languages: English and French

Literacy: 99%

Religions: Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (Baptist 2.4%), other Christian 4.4%. Muslim 1.9%, other 11.8%, none 16%

Geography: Mostly plains with mountains in the west and lowlands in the southeast

Climate: Varies from temperate in the south to subarctic and arctic in the north

Government: Constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy and
a federation

Chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Governor General Michaelle Jean; Prime Minister: Stephen Harper

Branches of government: Executive (Chief of State, Prime Minister, Cabinet), Legislative (bicameral Parliament), Judicial (Supreme Court, Federal Court, Federal Court of Appeal, Provincial Courts)

Political parties: Bloc Quebecois, Conservative Party of Canada, Green Party, Liberal Party, New Democratic Party

Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal

Economy: Affluent, high-tech, resembles the United States in its economic system

GDP: $1.271 trillion

Currency: Canadian dollar (CAD)

Exchange rates: 84¢ per US dollar

Internet code: .ca
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British Columbia

Capital: Victoria

Premier: Gordon Campbell

Primary language: English, spoken by 71.5%

Area: 364,764 square miles

Population: 4.1 million

Web site: www.gov.bc.ca
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Alberta

Capital: Edmonton

Premier: Ed Stelmach

Primary language: English, 79.9%

Area: 255,541 square miles

Population: 3,455,062

Web site: www.alberta.ca
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Saskatchewan

Capital: Regina

Premier: Brad Wall

Primary language: English, 85.1%

Area: 251,366 square miles

Population: 1,010,146

Web site: www.gov.sk.ca
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Manitoba

Capital: Winnipeg

Premier: Gary Doer

Primary language: English, 75.0%

Area: 250,946 square miles

Population: 1,208,000

Web site: www.gov.mb.ca