Population
Population is about 28 mil inhabitants. Over 30% of population lives in three largest cities Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver.
The large areas with forests are not populated. People live in southern part. But in northern part of Canada there is less and less people. Half of the population is of British origin, almost one third is of French origin (French-speaking descendants of the original French colonists), there is 1% of Indians and Eskimos (also called Innuits=natives, hunters, fishermen, trappers) and there are German, Ukrainian, Scandinavian, Dutch, Polish and other minorities. Inuits make chilkat blankets-from cedar bark. Inuitian colors are red and green, they decorate houses, totem poles, bird-cage baskets-have a lid (for carrying fish).
Canada’s official languages are English and French. They have equal status (a new law may make French the only official language of Quebec). Other European languages are also spoken in Canada – Greek, Italian, Chinese, German, because there are many immigrant families. The majority of immigrants prefer to learn English rather than French and to enroll their children in schools in which the language of instruction is English.
Canada has no official religion. The largest religious denomination is the Roman Catholic Church. Second is the United church of Canada and third is the Anglican Church. In addition, Canada has many Presbyterian, Lutheran, and Baptists church members. There is freedom of religion.
Most of Canada’s people live in the southern part of the country, in elongated, discontinuous belt of settlement parallel to the U.S.-Canada border. About 76% of Canada’s population is classified as urban, and 24% as rural. Canada is one of the world’s most sparsely populated nations, with very low density. This overall figure is misleading, however, and obscures the fact that nine-tenths of the country is virtually uninhabited and the population is concentrated in the other one-tenth. The most densely populated province is Prince Edward Island.
Each of the provinces and territories administers its own educational system. Schools are operated by local education authorities.
Dual system of education – there are schools for women Catholics and schools for Protestants. Other religions attend those schools but don’t have to attend religious classes. The best schools are in Ontario. The freedom from/of religion. University of Toronto is the best. In Quebec there’s McGill’s University (French). Education is compulsory until the age of 15 and is similar to American school system.
Society is multicultural, multiracial and antiracist. No. 1 in human developed index-extremely advanced in health, social programs (very developed society). Health services are the concern of the provincial governments, and all participate in the national insurance program.