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Canada

Geography

Canada is the second largest country in the world (891,163 sq km is covered with rivers and lakes, including the Great Lakes within the Canadian border). Canada also has the world’s longest coastline (more than 243,000 km).

History

The history of Canada started when migrating peoples from Asia entered North America. By 1600, more than 250,000 of their descendants inhabited what is now Canada. Many of them died during the European colonization from diseases carried by the settlers .

European exploration began after 1480 when the explorers, with government support, were looking for a North West Passage by sea from Europe to Asia’s riches and saw Canada as an obstacle as well as a potentially useful discovery. The

voyage to

Newfoundland in 1497

of John Cabot, an Italian in English service, began further exploration and laid the basis for English claims to Canada.

Canada was a British colony until Confederation in 1867 when the

Parliament adopted what is now Canada’s National Flag in 1964. It has a central maple leaf emblem and the red and white colors which are Canada’s official colors. Canada’s aboriginal people had discovered the food properties of maple sap , which they gathered every spring. Later, the maple leaf was the dominant symbol used by Canadian soldiers during the WWI and WWII.

Total area: 9,984,670 sq km Population: 32,8 million Capital: Ottawa

Dominion of Canada was born and the first Prime Minister, Sir John Alexander Macdonald, began to build the country we know today. Canada has a long history of rivalries between French and English settlers but much care was taken to protect the interests of both peoples and to have a constitution that served everyone.

Political system

Along with Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, and others, Canada is a member of the British Commonwealth of

Canada is famous for its unspoiled nature and beautiful scenery.

Nations. Canada is a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as its reigning monarch. She is the head of state, and the Governor General is her representative in Canada. He must sign all new laws before they can be passed . Canada has a party system in parliament with the majority party as the government. Their party leader is the prime minister.

People

Most of Canada’s population lives south of the 50th parallel which also runs through Prague. Canada can be very cold but the inhabited areas are much more hospitable than you might think. The capital of Canada, Ottawa, has a population of about 775 thousand.

Holidays

Canada’s national holiday is the 1st of July known as Canada Day. It marks the founding of the Dominion of Canada in 1867 and is celebrated with fireworks and barbecues and parades.

Thanksgiving, celebrated on the second Monday in October, is traditionally a time to give thanks for the harvest and enjoy elaborate meals of roast turkey, stuffing , and cranberry sauce . Oh baby!

Gerald Taylor (Canada)

Canada Day is celebrated with parades.

vocabulary

coastline [“k@UstlaIn] − pobøe�í descendant [dI”sEnd(@)nt] − potomek to inhabit − osídlit from diseases carried by the settlers [dI”zi:zIz “sEtl@z] − na nemoci, které sem zavlekli kolonisté riches [“rItSIz] − bohatství obstacle [“Qbst@k(@)l] − pøeká�ka voyage [“vOIIdZ] − cesta, plavba laid the basis [“beIsIs] − polo�ila základy claim − nárok representative [rEprI”zEnt@tIv] − zástupce to pass − pøimout (zákon) party system [“pA:ti “sIst@m] − systém politických stran

majority party [m@“dZQrIti] − vítìzná strana (strana, která získala ve volbách vìtšinu) parallel [“p&r@lEl] − rovnobì�ka hospitable [hQ”spIt@b(@)l] − vlídný harvest [“hA:vIst] − sklizeò elaborate meals [I”l&b(@)r@t] - slo�itá jídla stuffing [“stVfIN] − nádivka cranberry sauce [“kr&nb(@)ri sO:s] − brusinková omáèka maple leaf [“meIp(@)l li:f] − javorový list aboriginal people [&b@“rIdZIn(@)l] − pùvodní obyvatelé maple sap [s&p] − javorový sirup to gather [“g&D@] − sbírat