Canada

**Canada** is a country in North America. Its capital is Ottawa.

## Description

Second largest country in the world, Canada, made up of thirteen states, borders the United States of America on the north and non-contiguous U.S. state of Alaska on the east. Its water borders are the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean.

Canada makes an appearance in Laurie Keller's *The Scrambled States of America*book series.

## Provinces and Territories

* Alberta
* British Columbia
* Manitoba
* New Brunswick
* Newfoundland & Labrador
* Northwest Territories
* Nova Scotia
* Nunavut
* Ontario
* Prince Edward Island
* Quebec
* Saskatchewan
* Yukon

### Name meanings

* **Alberta:**The third name of the English Princess Louise Caroline Alberta.
* **British Columbia:**Named after Italian explorer Christopher Columbus.
* **Manitoba:**Named after Lake Manitoba, meaning "straits of Manitou".
* **New Brunswick:**Named after the city of Brunswick, Germany.
* **Newfoundland & Labrador:**
	+ Newfoundland is an English name compounded of three words - *new*, *found*, *land*.
	+ Labrador is named after Portuguese explorer João Fernandes Lavrador.
* **Nova Scotia:**"New Scotland" in Latin.
* **Nunavut:**"Our land" in Inuktitut.
* **Ontario:**Named after Lake Ontario, meaning "great lake" in Iroquoian.
* **Prince Edward Island:**Named after Prince Edward of England.
* **Quebec:**"Where the river narrows" in Algonquian.
* **Saskatchewan:**Named after the Saskatchewan River, meaning "swift-flowing river" in Cree.
* **Yukon:**Named after the Yukon River, meaning "white water river" in Gwich'in.
* **Ottawa (capital)**: "Trade" in Algonquian.

## List of U.S. states bordering Canada

* Alaska (BC, YT)
* Idaho (BC)
* Maine (QC, NB)
* Michigan (ON)
* Minnesota (MB, ON)
* Montana (BC, AB, SK)
* New Hampshire (QC)
* New York (ON, QC)
* North Dakota (SK, MB)
* Vermont (QC)
* Washington (BC)

## Trivia

* Canada means "village" in Iroquoian.
* The U.S.-Canada border is the longest country border in the world (8,890 km).

## Birth

3 billion years ago, the Slave (Northwest Territory) and Superior (Ontario and Quebec) Cratons were born. 2.95 billion, Nain Craton (Labrador) was born. 2.8 billion, Rae Craton (Nunavut) was born

During the beginning of the first millennium, the first known people living in Canada were known as the Dorsets. In 986, the Norwegians discovered Newfoundland Island, marking it was Vinland, making it the first Canadian state and the first North American state to be discovered by Europeans. In 1000, the Norwegian exploration in Canada continued through Quebec and Nunavut.

In 1400, Southern Canada was settled by the Cree Cultures, in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. In 1604, the French discovered Nova Scotia as part of New France. In 1610, the British conquered Newfoundland Island, making it the first Canadian state and the first North American state to be discovered by the British.

Throughout the early 17th century, the French exploration in Canada continued through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland island, and Ontario. In 1670, the British founded Rupert's Land on the Hudson coast of Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. In 1734, the French exploration in Canada continued through Manitoba. In 1760, the British conquered the French rule of Canada. In 1825, the British founded Northwestern Territory.

In 1931, Canada gained independence, all twelve states at that time except for Newfoundland & Labrador, still owned by the United Kingdom. In 1949, Newfoundland & Labrador was owned by Canada, making the independence of Canada complete. In 1999, Nunavut was the most recent Canadian state founded.

### Future prediction drift

It's predicted that in about 10 million years from now, Nunavut would connect with Greenland. About 220 million years from now, the Atlantic Coast of Canada would connect with West Africa as part of Pangaea Proxima.