Geography

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Highlights of Canada's geography

Total area: 9,984,670 km2, the second-largest country in the world.

Area north of the treeline: 2,728,800 km2, over 27% of Canada's total area.

Land border: 8,890-km border with the United States, the longest international border in the world.

Longest distance from east to west: 5,514 km from Cape Spear, Newfoundland and Labrador, to the Yukon and Alaska boundary.

Longest distance from north to south: 4,634 km from Cape Columbia (Ellesmere Island), Nunavut, to Middle Island (Lake Erie), Ontario.

National parks: 43 parks cover an area of 224,466 km2.

Coastline: 243,042 km on three oceans, the longest coastline in the world.

Number of islands: 52,455.
Largest island: Baffin Island, Nunavut, 507,451 km2.

Freshwater area: 891,163 km2. The top five regions with freshwater are Quebec (176,928 km2), the Northwest Territories (163,021 km2), Ontario (158,654 km2), Nunavut (157,077 km2) and Manitoba (94,241 km2).

Highest tide: Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, with a mean large tide of 16.1 m, the world's highest tide.

Highest mountain: Mount Logan, in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon, 5,959 m.

Highest waterfall: Della Falls, British Columbia, 440 m.

Deepest lake: Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories, 614 m.

Longest river: Mackenzie River, 4,241 km from its furthest source to its ultimate outflow.

Largest lake wholly within Canada: Great Bear Lake, Northwest Territories, 31,328 km2.

World's largest island in a freshwater lake: Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron, Ontario, 2,765 km2.

Coldest recorded temperature: –63°C at Snag, Yukon, on February 3, 1947.

Sunniest place: Estevan, Saskatchewan, with 2,500 hours of sun per year and 2,979 hours of clear skies.

Map 15.1 Map of Canada

Map 15.1 Map of Canada

Source: Statistics Canada, Geography Division.

View description for Map 15.1

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