More than 75 percent of Canada's population lives in urban centers. Canada shares the largest sector of the North American continent with the United States, and there is considerable U.S. influence in Canada. It is apparent, in fact, to travelers crossing the border that the two countries are similar in many ways. The landscape does not change, and the buildings, farms, and dress are all comparable. Neither is there much variation in foods and the kinds of products available.
Some differences do stand out, however.
The type of government, the political organization, and the judiciary all display some marked contrasts, resembling British institutions rather than American. Education in Canada reflects both British and U.S. influence, although Quebec in particular shows some French adaptations. The French presence in Canada is a uni que characteristic. More than three-fourths of Quebec's people have French as their primary language. The French character in Quebec is reflected in the architecture as well as the language.