Canada [antikvár]

IntroductionThere is no simple way to ctiaracterize a land as vast as Canada. It is nearly 10 million square kilometres in area (over 3,800,000 square miles), tire second largest country in the world. But it is not size alone that makes Canada remarkable. It is a land of extraordinary beauty, rich in natural resources, boasting a wide range of environments where abundant wildlife flourishes. Canada's people, too, are diverse. To its native people, Indian and Inuit, have been added a mbcture of nationalities from every comer of the world, a culniral mosaic that adds richness and variety to the national character.To the west lies the Pacific Ocean. Over 4,000 nautical miles of open ocean separate the western edge of the continent from the next point of land. Here wind and waves have helped sculpt a convoluted coastline of coves, bays, and steep-sided fiords. Offshore are a multitude of islands, ranging from Vancouver Island, the largest on the west coast of North America, to minute roclQ' islets inhabited only by cormorants and gulls. Wami ocean currents contribute to a year-round mild climate that is unique in Canada - a country where winter temperatures dip well below freezing in most areas. Heavy rainfall promotes the growth of lush coastal forests dominated by Douglas fir. cedar, and hemlock.Inland, the continent folds in a series of mountain ranges that extend from the Pacific Ocean through British Columbia and into Alberta - the Coast Range, the Monashees, Selkirks, Columbia and Cariboo ranges, and, of course, the Rockies, straddling the border with Alberta. Some of Canada's most spectacular scenery is found here.Beyond the mountains lie the great plains, stretching from the foothills of Alberta to the borders of Manitoba. By now the moismre-laden Pacific air has lost its water to the mountains. Wfeather on the prairies is typical of Canada's interior regions: cold in winter and hot and diy in the summer - sometimes too dry. But when spring and summer rains are sufficient, the fertile land, once a huge inland sea. produces bountifijl crops ranging from wheat to canola. flax, sunflowers, and rye.Opposite: Fall colours on a northern stretch of aindra. Yukon.Above: Parliament Hill in Ottawa was opened in 1920, after a fire burned the original 1859 legislative buildings.