Geography of Canada

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Canada is the second-largest country in the world by total area, covering about 9.98 million square kilometres. To put that in perspective, it's so big that it spans six time zones! From east to west, Canada stretches from the Atlantic Ocean all the way to the Pacific Ocean, and from the southern border with the United States all the way up to the Arctic Ocean in the north.

The country is divided into ten provinces and three territories. The provinces — from west to east — are British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The three territories in the north are Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Each region has its own unique landscape, culture, and character.

Canada's landscapes are incredibly diverse. In the west, you'll find the towering Rocky Mountains, with peaks that soar over 3,000 metres. British Columbia's coast is dramatic and rugged, with deep fjords and lush rainforests. Moving east across Alberta and Saskatchewan, the land flattens into the vast Prairie plains — some of the most fertile farmland in the world. Ontario and Quebec are home to the Great Lakes and the mighty St. Lawrence River, which together form one of the world's largest freshwater systems. The eastern provinces, known as the Maritimes, are defined by their coastlines, fishing communities, and ocean breezes. And in the far north, you'll find tundra, permafrost, and some of the most remote wilderness on Earth.

Canada also has an enormous number of lakes — so many that it's estimated the country holds about 20% of the world's fresh surface water. With over 2 million lakes, you're never too far from water no matter where you live in Canada.