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The Vikings discovered Canada
more than a thousand years ago, but it was rediscovered by Europeans only in the 15th
century. The French occupied large parts of the territory in the 16th
century. They were followed by the English who captured most of Canada from the French in
the wars of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.
Now the population of Canada is more than 30 million people which means that the
density is one of the lowest (2.6 people to one sq. km). 89 per cent of the land has no
permanent population. 80 per cent of Canadians live in large urban centres located within
300 km of the southern border (with the USA) by the St. Lawrence River where the first
French colonists settled.
45% of the Canadians are of British origin, 29% of French origin and
23% have their origins in other European countries. There are also native Canadians - Indians
and Eskimos (they are sometimes called the Inuits) in Canada. Indians probably gave the country its
name: one of their tribes used the world "KANATA"
for settlement, village.
LANGUAGES
Canada
is a bilingual country. 60 per
cent of population speak English, about 30 per cent speak French, the rest are the
languages spoken by various ethnic minorities (Italian, German, Chinese, Native
Canadians). Most of the French speaking population live in the province Quebec.
Life expectancy is 76 for male and 82 for female.
