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Trivia Questions Digest

Interesting facts about Canada

Sixteen facts about Canada's land, people, inventions and symbols, from the maple leaf flag to the discovery of insulin, each checked against a source.

By Eren ŞimşirUpdated How we write questions

Key numbers

Facts
16
Sources
Named for every fact
Country
Canada
Good for
Class, quiz night or travel

16 facts about Canada

  1. Canada is the second-largest country in the world by area. It covers about 10 million square kilometers. Only Russia is larger. Source: Statistics Canada
  2. Canada has two official languages. English and French have equal status in the federal government under the Official Languages Act of 1969. Source: Government of Canada
  3. Canada has ten provinces and three territories. The territories are Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Source: Government of Canada
  4. Nunavut became a territory in 1999. It was carved out of the Northwest Territories. Most of its people are Inuit, and Inuktitut is one of its official languages. Source: Government of Nunavut
  5. Most Canadians live near the US border. The large majority live within about 160 km (100 miles) of it, where the climate is mildest. Source: Statistics Canada
  6. The maple leaf flag was adopted in 1965. It was first raised on February 15, 1965, now marked as National Flag of Canada Day. Source: Government of Canada
  7. "O Canada" became the official anthem only in 1980. The song was written in French in 1880. The National Anthem Act was passed a century later. Source: Government of Canada
  8. Canada produces most of the world's maple syrup. Quebec alone accounts for the large majority of Canada's output. Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  9. Insulin was discovered in Toronto. Frederick Banting and Charles Best isolated it at the University of Toronto in 1921; Banting shared the 1923 Nobel Prize. Source: The Nobel Prize
  10. The Hudson's Bay Company was founded in 1670. It began as a fur-trading company under an English royal charter and is one of the oldest companies in North America. Source: The Canadian Encyclopedia
  11. The CN Tower was the world's tallest free-standing structure for more than 30 years. Completed in Toronto in 1976 at 553 meters, it held the record until the Burj Khalifa passed it in 2007. Source: The Canadian Encyclopedia
  12. Canada's highest mountain is Mount Logan. At 5,959 meters in Yukon, it is the second-highest peak in North America after Denali. Source: Natural Resources Canada
  13. Wood Buffalo is Canada's largest national park. At about 44,800 square kilometers it is larger than Switzerland, and it protects the last wild nesting area of the whooping crane. Source: Parks Canada
  14. Poutine comes from rural Quebec. Fries with cheese curds and gravy appeared in Quebec diners in the 1950s; several towns claim to be its birthplace. Source: The Canadian Encyclopedia
  15. Canada is a constitutional monarchy. The monarch, currently King Charles III, is Canada's head of state; the prime minister leads the government. Source: Government of Canada
  16. The Trans-Canada Highway is about 7,800 km long. It links all ten provinces, from Victoria on the Pacific to St. John's on the Atlantic. Source: The Canadian Encyclopedia

A huge country that lives near its border

Canada is the second-largest country in the world by area, after Russia, yet most Canadians live within a few hours' drive of the United States. Its ten provinces and three territories range from Nunavut, created in 1999 as a mainly Inuit territory, to tiny Prince Edward Island.

Symbols with recent dates

Some of Canada's best-known symbols are newer than people expect. The maple leaf flag was adopted in 1965, and "O Canada" became the official national anthem only in 1980. Others are old: the Hudson's Bay Company was founded in 1670 and is among the oldest companies in North America.

Using these facts

For a quiz, the dates make good closest-number questions: in what year was the maple leaf flag adopted? For geography practice, find every province's neighbor on the North and South America map quiz, and see the guide to states that border Canada and Mexico.

Questions people ask

What are some interesting facts about Canada?

Canada is the world's second-largest country by area, has two official languages, produces most of the world's maple syrup, and is where insulin was discovered, in 1921.

How many provinces and territories does Canada have?

Ten provinces and three territories: Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, which was created in 1999.

When did Canada adopt the maple leaf flag?

On February 15, 1965. It replaced the Canadian Red Ensign, which carried the British Union Jack.

More country facts

Sources