Map Monday, What’s special about Canada?

What’s special about Canada? If you ask most of my countrymen, they’ll respond with hockey, beer, maple syrup (if they’re not from Vermont), and maybe something vague about politeness. While Canada is larger than the US, there are roughly ten Americans for every Canadian. In fact there’s even a map of the lower 48 US states divided into regions representing the population of Canada. (Map is courtesy of Huffington Post Canada)

The same Huffington Post article that featured the map to the left also included a map of the smallest contiguous section of the US with a population equal to Canada.

Hey, I’m not knocking my neighbor to the north. In fact, some of my best life stories originate in Canada. As change for a trip on the Montreal subway I once received a strange gold coin. Being unfamiliar with Canadian money, I assumed it was just another Canadian coin. It turned out to be a $5 US gold coin from 1881. So for $6 Canadian I not only received a subway ride (for two), I also earned more than 5,000% return on my investment. What’s not to like about that?

To be fair, not all of my trips north of the border have been so positively memorable. On one trip I spent the weekend sleeping in a van in a hotel parking lot. I’m still not sure how hotel security didn’t find us. I guess it was a more trusting time. When in the USAF, I took a day trip to Canada that resulted in a three hour debrief/butt-chewing when I returned. I’d neglected to get a foreign contact briefing before the trip, which caused lots of grief for my security officer.

With that as background, here are my favorite interesting facts about Canada and Canadians.

1. Minnesota may be the land of 10,000 lakes, but it’s little more than a drop in the bucket. There are more than 3,000,000 lakes in Canada, which is more than the rest of the world combined. With more than 250,000 lakes, the province of Ontario contains more than 20% of the world’s fresh water.
2. More than half of Canadian citizens have college degrees. That makes it the most educated country in the world.
3. Auto license plates in the Northwest Territories Province are shaped like polar bears.
4. At 1,896 kilometres (1,178 mi), Yonge Street is the longest street in the world.
5. The Mall of America is owned by Canadians.
6. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Canada declared war on Japan before the US did.
7. Because of convection in the Earth’s mantle and the rebound effect from the melting of the Laurentide Ice Sheet 10,000 years ago, gravity is weaker near the Hudson Bay.
8. Canadians consume more donuts than anyone else in the world.
9. The US Articles of Confederation include a clause allowing the automatic entry of Canada into the US, if it asked.
10. There are more Canadians living in the US on expired visas than citizens from any other country.
11. The Canadian province of Alberta is rat free.
12. Ham & Pineapple pizza (popularly known as Hawaiian) was invented in Canada.
13. Canada has a strategic reserve of maple syrup to ensure adequate supplies in case of emergency.

Bonus Trivia Question:

Which of these names was NOT considered as the name of Canada in 1867?

A. Borealia

B. Cabotia

C. Transatlantica

D. Victorialand

E. Superior

As always thanks for reading.

Armen

Note to Pay the Bills: Set in upstate NY, the Misaligned series centers on the intersection of Welsh mythology and the basic elements of String Theory. Check out a summary of the series here or find links to purchase books here.

Answer to Trivia Question: All of these were suggested as possible names for Canada.