15 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Canada Until Now

We have decided to have a bit of fun with some virtual travelling by featuring a different Country on our blog each month.  And to get us started, we put lots of Country names into a hat and pulled out... Canada! 

via Flickr by Alex Indigo

Canadians are known worldwide for their pleasant demeanor, tendency to over-apologize and extreme love of ice hockey. We’ve put together a list of fifteen interesting, fun and random facts about Canada and Canadians:

1   Canada is the second largest country in the world – it has ten provinces, three territories and spans across six time zones.

2   Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, is the second coldest capital in the world. Average winter temperatures sit around -10°C, but are known to regularly drop as low as -40°C.  

3  The Canadian national motto is A Mari Usque ad Mare, meaning “from sea to sea”.  

4  The highest tides in the world occur in New Brunswick at the Bay of Fundy. The vertical tidal effect measures at approximately 50 feet! 

 

via Flickr by Boris Kasimov

 
5  Canadian’s have invented some pretty fantastic things that are now used worldwide. These inventions include: Trivial Pursuit™, the telephone, IMAX theatres, the electric wheelchair and insulin. Canadians are also credited with the discovery of stem cells.


6  There are more doughnut shops in Canada per capita than any other country. Thank you, Tim Hortons!

via Flickr by Scazon

7  The Rideau Canal, located in Ottawa, is a UNESCO world heritage site and transforms into the world’s longest skating rink each winter. 

8  Canada is home to 2.4 million caribou and 15,000 of the world’s 25,000 polar bears. 

9  In Saskatchewan a hooded sweater is called a “bunnyhug”. 

10  77% of the world’s maple syrup is made in the province of Québec. 

11 While Canadians are known for their intense love of ice hockey, the official sport of the country is actually lacrosse.  

via Flickr by s.yume

12  The year 1835 marks the first known use of the term “Canuck” when referring to a Canadian.

13  Canadians fondly refer to their one-dollar coins as “loonies”, and two-dollar coins as “toonies”. 

14  The province of Alberta is home to a national park that is larger than the country of Switzerland! Wood Buffalo National Park, created in 1922, protects the world’s largest herd of roaming Wood Bison. 

15  Famous (or, in some cases, infamous) Canadian celebrities include: Justin Bieber, Michael Bublé, Celine Dion, The Barenaked Ladies, Sarah McLachlan, William Shatner and Gordon Lightfoot.

Check back soon for more interesting information on the beautiful country and people of Canada!