Canadian Facts
Reading and Speaking. Read some interesting facts about Canada. What facts amused you? What information was new for you? What have you read or heard about before? Begin your answer with ‘I have never known / read / heard before that …’.
Canada’s BirthdayCanada’s birthday is celebrated on the 1st of July. There are fireworks, parades and picnics all over the country.
The OceansCanada is surrounded by three oceans – the Pacific, the Atlantic and the Arctic. It has the longest coastline in the world: 243,000 kilometres. No wonder the country’s motto is ‘From sea to sea’. The latest big craze in Canada is whale-watching. Special boats go out into the ocean and you have a 99% chance oа seeing whales!
The North Pole Some people believe that Canada owns the North Pole. It’s true that 40 % of the country’s territory is in the Arctic North, but the North Pole is not owned by any country. However, many Canadians (especially children) believe that Santa Claus is from Canada.
Bears There are more polar bears in Canada than in any other country in the world. Sometimes they even come to villages and towns in search of food. Polar bears are very big (they weight up to 600 kilos) and may be very dangerous (especially if you run from them).
WaterNearly one-fourth of all the fresh water in the world is in Canada. It has more lakes than any other country. Many of the lakes were created by glaciers. There are also lots of rivers in Canada. The Mackenzie is the longest river.
HoodoosThese strange-looking sandstones formations in the province of Alberta are called ‘hoodoos’. They were created by wind and water. Scientists have also found lots of dinosaur fossils there.
