Overview

Here Are 10 Interesting Truths About Canada That Make Ugandan Baristas Love Canada

Think you know the real stuff there is to know about the wild and free North? Then, when you finish reading these interesting nuggets about Canada, you’ll have a new appreciation for our great nation.

The European Union is smaller than Canada.

When you told people you were from Canada, did they ever ask if you knew Kimberly from Vancouver or Theo from Montreal? For those who have never travelled across our country, the sheer size of its landmass can be challenging to conceptualize. Here are a few interesting facts about Canada that will help put the country’s massive size into perspective. It’s larger than the European Union as a whole (33 times the size of Italy and 15 times the size of France), 30% larger than Australia, 5x the size of Mexico and 3x the size of India, and roughly the same size as 81,975 Walt Disney Worlds. That means you need to become more familiar with Kimberly or Theo.

Canada’s coldest temperature ever recorded rivals that of Mars.

Anyone who has chiselled their car out of a block of ice in the morning knows Canada can get quite cold in the winter. This is one of the least surprising facts about the country. January in Ottawa sees an average low of -14.4 °C (6.1 °F). That’s a chilling thought! However, Snag, Yukon, recorded a temperature in 1947 that made the rest of Canada’s winter weather look like a tropical getaway. On February 3, 1947, the tiny community of Snag experienced a temperature of -63 degrees Celsius (-81.4 degrees Fahrenheit). That’s about as cold as the Martian ground!

More lakes can be found here than anywhere else on Earth.

Many wonderful things can be found in Canada, such as hockey players, parkas, and Tim Hortons coffee shops. One of the most interesting things about Canada is that it has more lake area per capita than any other country. That’s right! North America’s Great White North has 563 lakes larger than 100 square kilometres. About 18% of all the fresh lake water on Earth is found only in the Great Lakes. What a lot of water, and what a beautiful landscape.

The coastline of Canada is the longest in the entire world.

It would take you four and a half years to walk the entire length of Canada’s coastline if you did not stop for food, to rest your feet, or to sleep. Look, Canada has the longest coastline in the world and is surrounded by three oceans (the Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific) that may not immediately bring to mind clear blue waters and white sand beaches. Canada’s coastline is 202,080 kilometres long, nearly a fifth of the world’s total of 356,000 kilometres of ocean frontage. Indonesia, which has a coastline of 54,716 kilometres, is the only other country that comes close.

There are 10 per cent of the world’s forests in Canada.

The abundance of trees in Canada is well-known, but did you know Canada is home to 30% of the world’s boreal forest and 10% of the world’s total forest cover? The country has an astounding 396.9 million hectares of forest and other wooded lands, and 68% of that is coniferous. What’s the cherry on top? Most of the wooded areas are owned by the government.

The only walled city in the Americas is located in Canada.

Unlike any other Canadian (or American) city, the walls surrounding Quebec City make it unique. Fact: Quebec City is the only city north of Mexico with fortified walls, making it one of Canada’s most exciting cities. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, the French and the English strengthened Quebec City’s defences. As a result, all of Quebec’s old city, including the fortifications, is now recognized as a World Heritage Site.

Regarding oil reserves, Canada dwarfs Russia by a factor of six.

Canada is estimated to have 176.8 billion recoverable barrels of this thick, viscous liquid. Specifically, Canada’s oil sands contain a plethora of crude bitumen, a semi-solid form of petroleum. Canada is home to about 70.8% of the world’s estimated 249.67 billion accessible barrels of the black stuff, four times more than Kazakhstan and six times more than Russia.

Canada has larger national parks than any other country.

Compared to other countries, Canada’s parks are tiny. A prime example is the Nahanni National Park Reserve in the Northwest Territories, which is home to some of the world’s largest waterfalls and spans an impressive 30,050 square kilometres (larger than Albania and Israel). In addition, Alberta and the Northwest Territories are home to Wood Buffalo National Park, which is 44,807 square kilometres, and is more extensive than Denmark and Switzerland combined.

Canada’s currency is the strongest in North America.

For all you risk-takers, here’s an interesting tidbit about Canada. If you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime swimming experience (while still being sensible and wearing a life vest), head to Seymour Narrows in British Columbia. Tide speeds of 17 km/h during the flood and 18 km/h during the ebb have been recorded along this section of the Discovery Passage, making them among the fastest ever recorded. The other coast is where you’ll find the incredible 15-meter tides in the Bay of Fundy.

The city of Alert, Nunavut, is the northernmost inhabited place on Earth.

Alert, Nunavut, located at the northernmost tip of Ellesmere Island, is Earth’s northernmost permanently inhabited place. It is only 817 kilometres from the North Pole. Despite its lack of shopping centres and cinemas, military and scientific personnel stationed in the area call Alert home. Understanding that the warmest month, July, has an average temperature of a balmy 3.4 degrees. Celsius will help you understand why the phrase “temporary home” is used here (38.1 F). The lowest monthly average temperature is -32.19 degrees Celsius, reached in January (-26 F). It’s easy to see why they’d call it Alert.