The word "Canada" conjures images of snow, lumberjacks, hockey, Mounties on horseback and the Rocky Mountains. While most of this is true, Canada also has much, much more to offer.

Contrary to what you see in some movies, not all of Canada is cold and snowy. In fact, some regions (like Vancouver!) rarely experience snow except in the mountain ranges. Most Canadians live in the southern part of the country, where the weather is milder. Canada's landscape is beautiful and diverse with dense rainforests, towering mountains, flat prairies, sandy beaches, rocky tundra, and over two million lakes (more than any other country on the planet!).

Some people think that Canada is part of the United States of America or that it's the same as the USA. The truth is that Canada is its own country made up of ten provinces and three territories, and Canadians are very proud of their differences when compared to Americans. Geographically Canada is the second largest country in the world (after Russia) but has a population of just 32 million people (making it less than 1/10 as populated as the United States). The Canadian dollar is also different from the American dollar (Canadian dollars are worth slightly less than the American dollar). In Canada the $1 and $2 amounts are coins nicknamed the "loonie" (because there is a bird native to Canada, the loon, on it) and "twoonie" (because it rhymes with loonie!).

Canada's educational system is also quite different from the USA's. Canada has only 36 public national universities. Canadian universities have high standards and consistent quality so that, unlike the USA, we do not "rank" our universities (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). In addition, Canadian cities are often considered safer and Canada has publicly funded health care. These contribute to Canada's high standard of living. For several years, Canada has been rated by the United Nations as one of the best places to live, with Vancouver being voted "the most liveable city" on several occasions.

Canada has a democratically elected government, led by a Prime Minister. Canada has no history of slavery or aggressive foreign policy and is well known for its multiculturalism and support of human rights. The United States has often been referred to as a "melting pot" of cultures whereas Canada is considered more of a "salad bowl". In Canada cultural differences are accepted and viewed as a welcome part of our unique society.

There are two official languages in Canada (English and French), but not everyone in Canada speaks both languages. The provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick and Manitoba have many francophone (French-speaking) people but the rest of Canada speaks primarily English. Unlike other English-speaking countries, Canadian English is neutral sounding and has little regional variation, making it a popular choice for students who want to learn English.

What you might not know about Canada:

Recently, Canada was rated by KPMG, a business consulting firm, as one of the best places in the world to do business. Major industries include forestry, fishing, mining, electricity production, manufacturing, agriculture and tourism. Per capita, Canada has the second richest supply of natural resources in the world. Canada is also at the forefront of IT and animation.

Canada spans six time zones. It takes about 4 hours to fly from Vancouver to Toronto and about six hours to fly from Vancouver to St. John's, Newfoundland (west coast to east coast)!

Because of the Canadian obsession with (ice) hockey, many people don't realise that Canada's official sport is actually lacrosse. While hockey is Canada's favourite sport, Canadians enjoy many other sports too such as soccer, basketball, rugby, skiing, wakeboarding, fishing, kayaking, swimming, and mountain biking. Canada has many community centres, free parks, and public tennis and basketball courts. In addition to neighbourhood parks, there are also 39 protected national parks and nearly 50 territorial parks.

Famous Canadians include actor Jim Carrey, singer Diana Krall, author Margaret Atwood, musician Brian Adams, architect Moshe Safdie, author Michael Ondaatje, actress Pamela Anderson, architect Arthur Erikson, scientist David Suzuki, hockey player Wayne Gretzky, model Linda Evangelista, actor Donald Sutherland, comedian Mike Myers, artist Emily Carr, and Star Trek's William Shatner.

Canada is a country of surprises!