Long-form name: none

Type: federal state recognizing Elizabeth II as sovereign

Capital: Ottawa

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces and 2 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Independence: 1 July 1867 (from UK)

Constitution: amended British North America Act 1867 patriated to Canada 17 April 1982; charter of rights and unwritten customs

Legal system: based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Branches: federal executive power vested in cabinet collectively responsible to House of Commons and headed by prime minister; federal legislative authority resides in Parliament (295 seats) consisting of Queen represented by governor general, Senate, and House of Commons; judges appointed by governor general on the advice of the government; Supreme Court is highest tribunal

Leaders: @m5Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Jeanne SAUVE (since 14 May 1984); @m5Head of Government--Prime Minister (Martin) Brian MULRONEY (since 4 September 1984); Deputy Prime Minister Donald Frank MAZANKOWSKI (since NA 19 )

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Elections: legal limit of five years but in practice usually held within four years; last election 21 November 1988; voter turnout 75.5%

Political parties and leaders: Progressive Conservative, Brian Mulroney; Liberal, John Turner (announced on 4 May 1989 that he would be resigning as leader of the Liberals); New Democratic, Edward Broadbent

Voting strength: (1988 parliamentary election) Progressive Conservative 43.0% (170 seats), Liberal 32% (82 seats), New Democratic Party 20% (43 seats); other 5%

Communists: 3,000

Member of: ADB, CCC, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth, DAC, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICES, ICO, ICRC, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ISO, ITC, ITU, IWC--International Whaling Commission, IWC--International Wheat Council, La Francophonie, NATO, OAS (observer), OECD, PAHO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG

Diplomatic representation:@m IWC--International Wheat Council, La Francophonie, NATO, OAS (observer), OECD, PAHO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Derek BURNEY; Chancery at 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036; telephone (202) 785-1400; there are Canadian Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle; US--Ambassador Thomas M. T. NILES; Embassy at 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa (mailing address is P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669); telephone (613) 238-5335; there are US Consulates General in Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver

Flag: three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and red with a red maple leaf centered in the white band

NOTE: The information regarding Canada on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Canada Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Canada Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.