Canada - a rich multicultural history

Canada's history dates back for thousands of years. First nations peoples lived across the country and there were many different aboriginal groups and peoples. European settlers arrived in Canada about 400 years ago beginning the political foundations that have become the basis for the government and social structure that we think of when we refer to Canada today. Canada spans over 9,220,970 sq km, and is slightly larger than the United States!

Confederation occurred on July 1st, 1867, and was the first formal recognition of provinces. Canada was officially a colony of Britain and was legally subordinate to the British parliament until 1931. To learn more about the Canadian history visit the government of Canada website here.

Canada is a country of immigrants and therefore it is a multicultural blend of different people, different backgrounds, different races and different religions. Canada has two important political documents, the Canadian Constitution and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which directly speak to many of the ideals and values that Canada upholds. Almost all ethnic backgrounds are represented in Canada making Canada one of the most multicultural countries in the world.

For more information about Canada, check our national web site at http://canada.gc.ca or https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/