Canada

33.6% —or about 310,134,000 hectares—of Canada is forested. Of this, 53.3% —or roughly 165,424,000 hectares—is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse form of forest.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2000, Canada had no significant change or no reported in forest cover.

Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Canada has some 766 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 1.7% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 5.0% are threatened. Canada is home to at least 3270 species of vascular plants, of which 4.5% are endemic. 5.3% of Canada is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

SECTIONS:

Forest Cover | Forest types | Breakdown of forest types | Change in Forest Cover | Primary forest | Forest designation | Disturbances affecting forest land | Protected areas | Biodiversity - Wildlife | Biodiversity - Plants | Value of forests | Production, trade and consumption of forest products | Environment | Land use / Resources | Economy | Population / Demographics | Infrastructure | Health | References | Books

Books

Canada: Forest Cover, 2005 Total Land Area (ha) 922,097,000 Total Forest Area (ha) 310,134,000 Percent Forest Cover 33.63% Primary Forest Cover (ha) 165,424,000 Primary Forest, % total forest 53.34% Primary Forest, % total land 17.94% Other wooded land (ha) 91,951,000 Canada : Forest types Tropical (% forest area) 0% Subtropical (% forest area) 0% Temperate (% forest area) 26% Boreal/polar (% forest area) 74% Canada: Breakdown of forest types, 2005 Primary forest (ha | %) 165,424,000 53.3% Modified natural (ha | %) 144,710,000 46.7% Semi-natural (ha | %) - - Production plantation (ha | %) - - Production plantation (ha | %) - - Canada: Change in Forest Cover TOTAL FOREST COVER Forest 1990 (ha) 310,134,000 Forest 2000 (ha) 310,134,000 Forest 2005 (ha) 310,134,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - 0.00% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! PRIMARY FOREST COVER Primary 1990 (ha) 165,424,000 Primary 2000 (ha) 165,424,000 Primary 2005 (ha) 165,424,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - 0.00% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! OTHER WOODED LAND Other 1990 (ha) 91,951,000 Other 2000 (ha) 91,951,000 Other 2005 (ha) 91,951,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - 0.00% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! PLANTATIONS Other 1990 (ha) - Other 2000 (ha) - Other 2005 (ha) - Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - - Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - - Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - - Change in rate (%) - TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations Other 1990 (ha) 402,085,000 Other 2000 (ha) 402,085,000 Other 2005 (ha) 402,085,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - 0.00% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! Canada: Primary Primary or "old-growth" vegetation Primary Forest 2005 (ha) 165,424,000 Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) 69,855,000 Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) 235,279,000 Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area) 25.52% Canada: Forest designation Ownership of forest land, 2000 Public (%) 92.1% Private (%) 7.9% Other (%) 0.0% Ownership of other wooded land, 2000 Public (%) 97.9% Private (%) 2.1% Other (%) 0.0% Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005 Production (%) 1.3% Protection (%) - Conservation (%) 4.9% Social Services (%) - Multiple Services (%) 86.7% None of Unknown (%) 7.1% Canada: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000 Forest Area annually affected by Fire (%) 0.66% Insects (ha) 4.59% Diseases (ha) - Other (ha) - Canada: Protected areas 13 Protected areas Biosphere reserves, 2005 Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 2005 36 World Heritage sites, 2004 13 Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land 5.3% Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land 4.58% Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 2004 0.65% Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 2004 1.08% Canada: Biodiversity - Wildlife Amphibians total species 44 endemic species 0 threatened species 1 Birds total species 472 endemic species 6 threatened species 19 Mammals total species 211 endemic species 7 threatened species 16 Reptiles total species 39 endemic species 0 threatened species 2 Wildlife diversity total species 766 endemic species 13 threatened species 38 Canada: Biodiversity - Plants Growing stock composition 3 most common species % of total growing stock 32.60% Growing stock composition 3 most common species % of total growing stock 70.30% Number of Native tree species Native tree species 180 Number of tree species in IUCN red list Critically Endangered 0 Endangered 0 Vulnerable 0 Vascular Plant Species, 2004 Total 3270 Number endemic 147 Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004 Species threatened 1 Canada: Value of forests Biomass stock in forest, 2005 Above-ground biomass (M t) - Below-ground biomass (M t) - Dead wood (M t) - Total (M t) - Carbon stock in forest, 2005 Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t) - Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t) - Carbon in dead wood (M t) - Carbon in litter (M t) - Soil carbon (M t) - Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005 Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr) 1990-2000 0 2000-2005 0 Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005 Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr) 1990-2000 0 2000-2005 0 Wood removal 2005 Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m) 219,500 Wood fuel (1000 cubic m) 4,000 Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m) 223,500 Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock) 1 Plant products 2005 Food (t) - Fodder (t) - Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) - Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) - Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t) - Ornamental plants (t) - Exudates (t) - Other plant products (t) - Animal products 2005 Living animals (units) - Hides, skins and trophies (units) - Wild honey and bee-wax (t) - Bush meat (t) - Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) - Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) - Other edible animal products (t) - Other non-edible animal products (t) - Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005 Industrial roundwood (US$) - Wood fuel (US$) - Non-wood forest products (US$) - Total value (US$) - Total value ($USD/ha) $- Employment in forestry 2000 Total people employed 89,000 Canada : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002 Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 2,953 Imports 0 Exports 0 Consumption 2,953 Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 197,373 Imports 7,458 Exports 4,905 Consumption 199,926 Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 57,641 Imports 1,488 Exports 37,357 Consumption 21,772 Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 16,215 Imports 1,823 Exports 12,058 Consumption 5,980 Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002 Production 25,543 Imports 271 Exports 11,640 Consumption 14,174 Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002 Production 20,226 Imports 2,851 Exports 14,276 Consumption 8,801 Canada: Environment Environment - current issues air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Marine Life Conservation Natural hazards continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains Canada: Land use / Resources Land use (%) arable land: 4.96% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 95.02% (2001) Natural resources iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower Canada: Economy Economy - overview: As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, in the trillion dollar class, Canada closely resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. Given its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Solid fiscal management has produced a balanced budget, although public debate continues over how to manage the rising cost of the publicly funded healthcare system. Exports account for roughly a third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its principal trading partner, the United States, which absorbs more than 85% of Canadian exports. GDP - per capita $32,800 (2005 est.) GDP - real growth rate (%) 2.8% (2005 est.) Agriculture - products wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish GDP - composition by sector (%) agriculture: 2.2%, industry: 29.1%, services: 68.7% (2005 est.) Industries transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products; wood and paper products; fish products, petroleum and natural gas Population below poverty line (%) 15.9% (2003) Debt - external $600.7 billion (30 June 2005) Labor force - by occupation (%) agriculture 2%, manufacturing 14%, construction 5%, services 75%, other 3% (2004) Canada: Population / Demographics Population (July 2005) 32,805,041 Population growth rate (%) (2005) 0.90% Population density (people/sq km) (2005) 3.6 Percent rural (2003) 19.6% Median age (years) total: 38.54 years Total fertility rate (children born/woman) 1.61 (2005 est.) Ethnic groups (%) British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26% Largest Cities in Canada Cities and urban areas in Canada with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002. City Country City Population Urban Area Population Toronto Canada 2571400 5462100 Montreal Canada 1038600 3523400 Calgary Canada 864500 870300 Edmonton Canada 693700 913600 Winnipeg Canada 635100 706700 Mississauga Canada 586800 586800 Vancouver Canada 534000 1940100 London Canada 350900 350900 Ottawa Canada 348500 1070300 Hamilton Canada 347500 347500 Laval Canada 337600 337600 Surrey Canada 316300 316300 Brampton Canada 289200 289200 Windsor Canada 213100 213100 Saskatoon Canada 196100 196100 Burnaby Canada 194700 194700 Kitchener Canada 192300 192300 Markham Canada 186900 186900 Regina Canada 182700 182700 Quebec Canada 170900 711700 Richmond Canada 154700 154700 Burlington Canada 147700 147700 Oshawa Canada 144800 144800 Vaughan Canada 142900 142900 Saint Catharines Canada 141100 141100 Oakville Canada 138400 138400 Longueuil Canada 130800 130800 Nepean Canada 124100 124100 Thunder Bay Canada 122500 122500 Cape Breton Canada 118000 118000 Halifax Canada 117100 117100 Gloucester Canada 112100 112100 Richmond Hill Canada 109700 109700 Cambridge Canada 109300 109300 Abbotsford Canada 107400 107400 Coquitlam Canada 105800 105800 Saanich Canada 105300 105300 Guelph Canada 103300 103300 Gatineau Canada 102900 102900  Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005  Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)  Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.  Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.  RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.  World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site  The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species  Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund  With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com