Canada is the second largest country in the world in area, after Russia, and has the longest coastline of any country in the world, being next to the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. The world's longest city street (Yonge Street in Toronto) is in Canada. Around 32 million people live in Canada's ten provinces and three territories.

Native people lived in what is now Canada for thousands of years before the first Europeans arrived. They are known as the First Nations and the Inuit people. The Métis have part First Nations and part European backgrounds.

The Vikings were the first Europeans known to land in Canada, in what is now Newfoundland. They did not stay there long, however. In the early 16th century, Europeans started exploring Canada's eastern coast. Parts of Canada were settled by France, and parts by England and Scotland. Today, about 25% of Canadians speak French as their first language and many people can speak both French and English. A large number of immigrants from almost every part of the world come to live in Canada. Canada has a greater mix of people with different backgrounds than almost anywhere on Earth.

Many people from other parts of the world think of Canada as a very cold and snowy place. While it is true that most of Canada's land is very far north (almost to the North Pole), most Canadians live in the southern parts, where the weather is much milder. Over 90% of the people live within 100 miles (160 km) of the U.S. border. In some cities the temperature can get very cold in the winter; however, most of Canada can get quite hot in the summer, often over 30 degrees Celsius.

Canadians are known to play winter sports such as ice hockey and skiing, while they also enjoy numerous summer activities.