Canada is famously renowned for its beautiful lakes, snowcapped mountains, and national parks with waterfalls – but what many don’t realize is that this gorgeous nation also has a surprising amount of personality! From quirky cuisine to unique traditions – here are 10 fun facts about Canada that will blow your mind.
1. Canada boasts the longest coastline.
1. It’s the longest country in the world
Canada is the largest country in North America and boasts one of the longest coastlines on earth at 202,080 kilometers spanning three oceans – impressive enough, but consider this: If one were to walk around all this coastline without stopping (even for food or rest breaks), it would still take four-and-a-half years!
Canada is famously home to the beaver, who plays an essential role in fur trade but was almost hunted to extinction due to human hunting activities. Beavers feature prominently on our flag as they were integral part of this industry before nearly being hunted to extinction.
Canada is home to its own style of architecture known as chateauesque, which draws heavily on French Renaissance designs. You’ll see this style most commonly seen in rail hotels across Canada.
2. It’s the second-largest country in the world
Canada may seem like just another hockey-loving, parka-wearing country with Tim Hortons franchises and maple syrup production facilities, but this vast country actually hosts over one fifth of all global lakes as well as one of the highest concentrations of fresh water on Earth!
The Great White North boasts an immense coastline that runs 5,000km! In eastern Canada’s Bay of Fundy alone, tide currents reach speeds up to 15 metres per second during flood times while 17km/h winds blow on average during ebb times!
Canada welcomes an impressively large number of refugees each year; around 10 percent of global resettled refugees find shelter here each year, making Canada home to some of the friendliest people around. Plus, it boasts the only walled city in North America!
3. It’s the most multicultural country in the world
Canada, home to over 35 million people from various cultures, boasts a dynamic population that celebrates them through food, dance and music. There is also an impressive variety of cultural festivals and celebrations held every year that show these rich heritages off.
Canada retains close historical ties with its former colonizer, the United Kingdom, through a shared royal lineage. The current UK monarch also serves ceremonially as Monarch of Canada.
Canada is home to Niagara Falls’ Horseshoe Falls and Canadians eat more mac and cheese each year than American; around seven million boxes. Children all over the world write letters to Santa, who resides here; indeed he even has his own postal code: H0H 0H0!
4. It’s the country with the most national parks
Canada is one of the world’s most beautiful nations, boasting shimmering lakes, snow-capped mountains, and majestic national parks. But did you know it’s also home to some of the largest islands on Earth, or that Canadians love mac and cheese? Or that Churchill Manitoba boasts over 600 polar bears?
Did you know that Canada is actually an abbreviation for Kanata – meaning village or settlement – used by St Lawrence Iroquoians when communicating to European explorer Jacques Cartier about their settlement.
5. It’s the country with the most maple syrup
Canada is well known for its stunning beauty, boasting shimmering lakes and snow-capped mountains. But did you know it is also home to many intriguing traditions and feats that make this country special? From delicious cuisine to quirky customs, Canada holds plenty of surprises waiting to be discovered!
Canada is home to the highest producer of maple syrup worldwide and is exported to more than 70 nations – even space! This tasty treat has become so popular it is even available as space food!
Canada boasts many interesting facts, such as having the longest national road, which spans over 4,860 miles across its entirety, being home to three oceans, and being famous as being the birthplace of poutine – an irresistibly tasty dish composed of French Fries, Cheese Curds and Brown Gravy!
6. It’s the country with the most polar bears
Even if polar bears don’t appeal, Canada still offers plenty of attractions and experiences that you will enjoy, such as watching them in their natural habitat in Churchill, Manitoba (known as “Polar Bear Capital of the World”).
These incredible creatures possess an exceptional sense of smell that allows them to detect seals underwater from up to 30 kilometres away! Furthermore, they are record-setting swimmers and possess claws specifically curved for gripping ice.
Did you know that Canada boasts one of the highest immigration rates worldwide? This policy serves to unify families and fuel economic development. Furthermore, Canadians take great pride in their cuisine – poutine is especially beloved! Mac and cheese also remains immensely popular and did you know they put milk into bags?!
7. It’s the country with the most lacrosse teams
Canada is well known for its stunning lakes and snow-capped mountains, but it also has an intriguing culture characterized by quirky cuisine, charming traditions, and some of the friendliest people on the planet. Read on to discover 10 interesting facts about Canada that will surprise and delight.
Poutine, one of Canada’s iconic dishes, consists of crispy golden fries layered with cheese curds and drizzled in rich gravy – invented in Quebec during the 1950s, it has since become an international favorite. Canada also boasts one of the longest coastlines on the globe (spanning over 202,000km), as well as hosting Niagara Falls as both tourist attraction and source of hydroelectricity power – so much so that beavers were used extensively during fur trade processes that helped shape it into what we know now as the national animal of Canada – fittingly enough, given how important beavers were in shaping this country today!
8. It’s the country with the most hockey players
Canada boasts more professional ice hockey players than any other nation due to being home of the National Hockey League and being where ice hockey first originated – this may also be because Canadians excel at playing this form of the sport!
Canada boasts many lakes, which makes it ideal for hockey. Canada was so skilled at this sport that in 1930 World Cup it did not even require knockout rounds!
Canadians are famously friendly people; this applies both to their citizens as well as the police force (the Mounties). Canadians are renowned for being kind and polite – an attribute many Americans look up to and another reason Canada makes for an ideal living experience.
9. It’s the country with the most pineapple pizzas
Sam Panopoulos of Canada is widely credited with creating one of the world’s favourite pizza toppings: Hawaiian. After tossing canned pineapple and ham onto his pizza in the 1940s, he coined its name: henceforth it has become a global dish!
Pineapples are a beloved topping on many burgers and sandwiches, yet their inclusion on pizza remains controversial – even politicians weigh in with their opinions on this subject.
Canada is widely known for its pizza, hockey players, Mounties and maple syrup production – as well as being home to Seth Rogan, Mike Myers and Keanu Reeves as celebrities. Did you know their national animal is the beaver – even featured on their coinage!
10. It’s the country with the most Santa letters
Canada is home to stunning natural wonders, an inviting culture and some fascinating facts that are sure to fascinate and surprise. Additionally, this country harbors some surprising and quirky knowledge that will astonish and delight you.
Beaver Wars were not exactly fought between dam-building animals but rather humans competing for power and control over territories abundant with valuable fur from beavers, such as beaver pelts. Furthermore, Santa Claus technically resides in this northern wonderland; children from around the globe can write him letters using an address with postal code H0H 0H0 to reach him directly.
James Naismith invented basketball, now an internationally cherished sport, in Canada and its most powerful part – Horseshoe Falls – is located there too! These are just two fun facts about Canada that may surprise many; and its former coloniser the United Kingdom retains strong historical ties through shared royal lineages that remain.