Canada Flag

The bars on either side of the Canadian side represent the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The red represents blood shed by Canadians in wars, while the white represents peace. The maple leaf represents the maple trees of Canada, a symbol that originated in Quebec and eventually was used in the rest of the country.

The Canadian flag as we know it today was chosen as part of a six-month long initiative called the "Great Canadian Flag Debate". This debate was commissioned by then-Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. The debate was notably quite controversial, as many in the country were divided over whether or not the new Canadian flag should continue to employ the symbol of the Union Jack. The current Canadian flag was designed by a historian named George Stanley, whose design was voted on unanimously by the flag committee.

Prior to the Maple Leaf, Canada used a flag that consisted of the British Red Ensign and the coat of arms of Canada. This flag was unpopular among many for elements such as its British-centric design, which excluded minority groups such as French Canadians and Native Canadians. Some also argued that having the Canadian coat of arms on the British Ensign defaced the flag.

The current Canadian flag, also known as the "Maple Leaf" or the "Flag of Canada" has been in use since 1964, when it was chosen in a contest comissioned by Lester B. Pearson. It today is one of the most recognized and important international symbols of Canada, with its red representing blood of Canadian soliders, white representing peace, and maple leaf representing Canadian identity and culture.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Ottawa
Languages	English (official) 58.7%, French (official) 22%, Punjabi 1.4%, Italian 1.3%, Spanish 1.3%, German 1.3%, Cantonese 1.2%, Tagalog 1.2%, Arabic 1.1%, other 10.5% (2011 est.)
Ethnic Groups	Canadian 32.2%, English 19.8%, French 15.5%, Scottish 14.4%, Irish 13.8%, German 9.8%, Italian 4.5%, Chinese 4.5%, North American Indian 4.2%, other 50.9%
Religion	Catholic 39% (includes Roman Catholic 38.8%, other Catholic .2%), Protestant 20.3% (includes United Church 6.1%, Anglican 5%, Baptist 1.9%, Lutheran 1.5%, Pentecostal 1.5%, Presbyterian 1.4%, other Protestant 2.9%), Orthodox 1.6%, other Christian 6.3%, Muslim 3.2%, Hindu 1.5%, Sikh 1.4%, Buddhist 1.1%, Jewish 1%, other 0.6%, none 23.9% (2011 est.)
Government	Federal parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Canada) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Independance	1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK per Statute of Westminster)
Area	9,984,670.00 km²
Water Area	891,163.00 km²
Land Area	9,093,507.00 km²
Population	35,362,905.00 Vast majority of Canadians are positioned in a discontinuous band within approximately 300 km (180 mi) of the southern border with the United States; the most populated province is Ontario, followed by Quebec and British Columbia
Location	Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US
No. Bordering Countries	1
Bordering Countries	US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)
GDP(PPP)	$1,670,000,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$46,200.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partner is the United States.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, and chemicals.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are the United States, China, and Mexico.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, and crude oil.
Climate	Varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
Terrain	Mostly plains with mountains in west, lowlands in southeast
Learn More	Canada

Canada Flag

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