Canada is the largest country in the Western Hemisphere and the second largest country in the world after Russia. The country is divided into ten provinces and three territories and is home to more than 37 million people. This huge country on the North American continent has a number of superlatives that we will try to show you.
Basic information about Canada
Autumn
Why go to Canada
Canada is one of those countries that attracts all the right people for the right reasons. If you want to spend a holiday in the fresh air and enjoy life in nature, then there really is no better destination on this planet. Hockey lovers will also enjoy themselves when visiting the NHL.
The capital of Canada
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, although it is not the largest.
It is the second largest city in Ontario with the seat of the Canadian Parliament and has about 880,000 inhabitants. This attractive, landscaped and culturally vibrant city is divided by the picturesque Rideau Canal and is separated from the smaller town of Hull (Quebec Province) by the Ottawa River. It is just a 2.5 hour drive from Montreal and a 5 hour drive from Toronto. The nearest major US cities - Boston and New York - are about 8 hours away by car, but are easily reached by short (up to 90 minutes) direct flights.
Flag of Canada
The flag of Canada in its current form was adopted on February 15, 1965. Therefore, February 15 is annually celebrated as Canadian National Flag Day. The national flag of Canada consists of two red rectangles on either side, a white square between them and an 11-pointed red maple leaf centered on a white square.
The population of Canada
The current population of Canada is 37,690,124 (as of May 2020).
The population of Canada represents 0.48% of the total world population and thus ranks 39th in the list of countries by population. Due to the huge area of Canada, the population density is very low, at 4 people per km2. Canada’s population density is so low, mainly because much of the country, especially in the north, is uninhabited. Most residents are concentrated along the US-Canadian border.
Holidays in Canada
When planning a vacation in Canada, it may be helpful to review this list of public holidays in Canada in 2020. Most businesses, governments, banks, and stores are closed on the following days:
CALENDAR 2020
- New Year: January 1
- Good Friday: 10 April 2020
- Easter Monday: 13 April 2020
- Victoria Day / National Patriot: 18 May 2020
- Quebec Public Holiday: 24 June 2020 (Quebec only)
- Canada Day: 1 July 2020
- British Columbia Day: 3 August 2020 (BC only)
- Heritage Day - Alberta: 3 August 2020 (Alberta only)
- Labor Day: 7 September 2020
- Thanksgiving: 12 October 2020
- Memorial Day: 11 November 2020
- Christmas: 25 and 26 December 2020
Canada sign
The coat of arms of Canada was awarded by the British King in 1921. The shield of the coat of arms is divided into 5 fields.
Field 1 - England - three lions on a red field Field 2 - Scotland - Red lion on a yellow field 3rd field - Ireland - golden harp on a blue field 4th field - France - 3 lilies on a blue field Field 5 - Canada - 3 red maple leaves on a white field
Canada time zone
There are six time zones in Canada covering four and a half hours. From the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March, the zones are referred to as standard time zones. From the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, most of Canada follows daylight saving time. The boundaries of the standard time zones do not necessarily have to be the same as the boundaries of the corresponding daylight saving time zones. The borders are shifting because some municipalities decide not to take part in summer time.
10 provinces of Canada
Canada is divided into 10 provinces and 3 territories in the north. The provinces are in alphabetical order: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan. The three territories are the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and the Yukon.
The difference between a province and a territory is related to their administration. The territories have, in principle, been transferred under the supervision of the Canadian Parliament. They are grouped and ruled by the federal government. On the contrary, the provinces exercise constitutional powers independently.
Currency in Canada
In Canada, it is paid in Canadian dollar, which consists of 100 cents. The coins come in denominations of 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents, $ 1 and $ 2. Banknotes are worth $ 5, $ 10, $ 20, $ 50 and $ 100.
Current exchange rates for the Czech Koruna on 5.5.2020 1 CAD=17.6830 CZK Source: xe.com
Prices in Canada
If you travel anywhere in the world, it is always recommended to bring a cash mix and a bank / credit card. It’s no different in Canada either.
ATMs are located in all major cities across the country. Credit cards are also generally accepted, although some facilities such as small hotels and shops, especially in remote areas, can only accept cash.
Restaurant:
- Boarding, cheap restaurant 16.00 C $
- Meals for 2 people, Middle-class restaurant, three-course menu 70.00 C $
- McMeal at McDonalds 10.00 C $
- Homemade beer (0.5 liter) 6.00 C $
- Imported beer (0.33 l bottle) 7.50 C $
- Coca Cola / Pepsi (0.33 l bottle) 2.30 C $
- Water (0.33 1 bottle) 1.90 C $
Trade:
- Milk (1 liter) 2.50 C $
- White bread (500 g) 2.90 C $
- Apples (1 kg) 4.05 C $
- Banana (1 kg) 1.70 C $
- Oranges (1 kg) 4.00 C $
- Water (1.5 l bottle) 2.30 C $
- Bottle of wine (medium range) 16.00 C $
- Homemade beer (0.5 l bottle) 2.97 C $
- Imported beer (0.33 l bottle) 3.70 C $
- Cigarettes 20pcs (Marlboro) 15.00 C $
Transportation:
- One-way ticket (local transport) 3.25 C $
- Monthly ticket (regular price) 97.00 C $
- Start of a taxi (normal tariff) 3.90 C $
- Taxi 1 km (normal fare) 2.00 C $
- Waiting for 1 hour taxi (normal tariff) 34.00 C $
- Petrol (1 liter) 1.20 C $
Visa to Canada
Residents of the Czech Republic do not need a visa for a short-term stay in Canada for a period of 6 months with a tourist plan. However, before departure, it is necessary to obtain a travel registration ETA, which is mandatory and without it will not let you on board the aircraft.
The State Department recommends using only the official website of the Government of Canada to complete the ETA registration. This avoids intermediaries, who in some cases charge up to several administration fees for this service.
In order to apply for an ETA, you must have:
- Valid passport (biometric).
- Credit / debit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express) or prepaid credit card.
- E-mail adress.
- The price for submitting an application is 7 CAD.
An ETA visa application is always submitted individually (one person, one application). If you are traveling to Canada with the whole family, it is necessary for each individual and separately to apply for an ETA.
Interesting facts about Canada
- Canada has the longest coastline in the world with a length of 202,080 km.
- Canada has more than 31,700 large lakes over 300 hectares in size. In fact, more than half of all lakes in the world are located in Canada.
- The longest Canadian river is the McKenzie River in the northwest. The river is 4,241 km long.
- The highest mountain in Canada is Mount Logan with a height of 5,959 meters in the Yukon Territory on the border with Alaska.
Important contacts
Where to call in case of emergency in Canada?
Rescue service, fire brigade, police: 911
Canada dialing code is 001.
Contacts at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Ottawa:
Address:
Embassy of the Czech Republic 251 Cooper Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 0G2
Phone: 001 - 613 562 3875
Email: ottawa@embassy.mzv.cz
Office hours are Monday to Thursday from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm, Friday from 8.00 am until 2.30 pm
In the event of an emergency after working hours, you can contact the emergency number 001 - 613 794 2277. Only questions whose resolution cannot be postponed to the next working day will be answered on this number.
Further contacts can be found on the mzv.cz website
