Canada is the second largest country in the world. Although Canada is quite sparsely populated, it has some major cosmopolitan cities, such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver that offer anything a traveler could want.
The main attraction is, for many, the rough and rugged nature of the land. If you need some fresh air and space to breathe, Canada is your dream destination.
Canada encompasses territory from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the high Arctic to the northern border of the continental U.S.A. Although very much a "northern" country, the terrain and geography of Canada is very diverse. As well as the popular image of Canada as a country of pristine forests and snowy vistas, there are also deserts and badlands, temperate rain forests, and long and wide beaches. Canada has huge inland lakes, seemingly eternal prairies and evergreen forests, woodlands and meadows. Canada's coastlines are thousands of miles long, with fjords, and long, wild rivers leading to the oceans.
In contrast to the expanses of open country, Canada also has its share of urban areas. The majority of the population and heavy industry is in the provinces of Québec and Ontario, but large and modern cities are spread across the land from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Most of these cities are within a few hours drive, at most, to the border with the United States. Regional centers of commerce are situated throughout the country. Vancouver in the west, and Halifax in the east, are both major ports with trade to every corner of the world. Alberta is a major oil and gas producer. The Prairie Provinces (Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan), with their vast fields of grain, help feed the world. The fisheries on both the West and the East Coast are widespread and diverse. Oil and natural gas have recently been discovered off the East Coast.
The Trans-Canada Highway links the country from coast to coast, there is an extensive network of railways, and a widespread network of airline routes serving both major and remote communities.
The rural areas are less populated, with more and more people leaving for the larger towns and cities. The lands to the north are much less developed, but as some of these areas are utilized for their ample natural resources, populations are growing.
Canada is known for its long and cold winters. Extended winters are appealing to people who enjoy being outdoors in the snow. Canada has opportunities for winter sports and activities that are unsurpassed. The summers can be fairly hot in many areas, though with so many lakes, rivers and coastal regions, there is a huge variety of summer recreational possibilities to help beat the heat. The West Coast of British Columbia tends to have much milder winters than the rest of the country, and very pleasant moderate summer temperatures. Depending on the location, spring arrives in Canada between March and May and is always the start of new growth, and cause for celebrating the end of the winter and a new beginning. Days are long and often comfortably warm. Whatever part of the country you are in, the fall brings magnificent colours, cooler but still very pleasant days, and attractions tend to be less crowded.
Weather You'll definitely want to keep an eye on the weather for the region you'll be visiting. It's always amusing for the locals to watch tourists arrive in the middle of summer wearing parkas and carrying snowshoes. Check the local weather at Weather, Environment Canada's newest weather Web site. This site provides weather information for cities across Canada and the World.
