Canada, second largest country in the world, land of vast diversity, urban sophistication and rich nature and wildlife, has been ranked, by the United Nations among the top 10 countries in the world in Quality of Life Index since 2004. It is one of the world’s wealthiest and most industrialized countries. Northern Canada is known for gas and oil exploration while Eastern Canada is known for agriculture, forestry and fisheries. It is one of the world’s most computer-literate and technologically sophisticated markets. The provinces of Ontario and Quebec are known for industries. Canada is the world leader in Aerospace, Pharmaceuticals, Telecommunication and Biotechnology. It is a member of the G7, the G20, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations (UN), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and many other international bodies. The Canadian Dollar is one of the most stable currencies in the world.

Canada is a multicultural and diverse country. In the 2016 Census, 40% of Canadians reported having one or more of 200 ethnic origins and over 19% of Canadians classified themselves as a visible minority. Over the past 150 years, Canada has welcomed 17 million immigrants from all around the world thanks to national policies supporting immigration and multiculturalism. Canada has two official languages: English and French. English is the native language for 56% of the population and French is the native language for 20% (2016 Census, Statistics Canada). Chinese dialects are the third most common native language in Canada, followed by Punjabi, Arabic, and Tagalog.

Canada is also known to be a modern, progressive nation with open-minded citizens who are proud of diverse origins and ethnic diversity. Canada produces athletes, artists, and engineers, doctors and architects, writers and scientists. There is a place for every type of talent in Canada, and the mix of people and specializations creates a vibrant, exciting society that’s secure but also dynamic and open to change. Some sports played are hockey, lacrosse, baseball, basketball, and soccer (often known as football in Europe). Skiing, both downhill and cross country, is another national passion. Canada is home to every cuisine in the world: diners can choose anything from Indian, Thai, or Chinese to Ethiopian, Mexican, or French.

Canada placed seventh in the United Nations’ 2018 World Happiness Report, after Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2018 liveability report ranks three of Canada’s largest cities in the top ten ideal destinations in the world to live due to widespread availability of goods and services, low personal risk, and an effective infrastructure. According to the Global Peace Index (2018) Canada is ranked in the top 10 most peaceful countries in the world, keeping company with the likes of Iceland, Denmark, and New Zealand. Canada regularly ranks in the top 10 on the United Nations’ Human Development Index, a comparative measure of life expectancy, literacy, education, standards of living, and quality of life.

Occupying the northern half of the North American continent, Canada’s landmass is 9,093,507 square kilometres, making it the second-largest country in the world after Russia. There are more than two million lakes in Canada covering about 7.6 per cent of the country.  There are ten provinces and three territories in Canada spanning a few geographic regions. 

Canada’s population is now just over 36 million and the area is 99 lakh square kilometres.  80% of the population is concentrated within 160 kilometres of the southern (US) border. According to the last census in 2016, the largest Canadian cities are Toronto (5.9 million), Montreal (4.0 million), Vancouver (2.4 million), and Ottawa-Gatineau (1.3 million) and Edmonton (1.3 million). Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto are ranked fourth, sixth and seventh, respectively, in the 2018 Economist Intelligence Unit ranking of the world’s most liveable cities because of overall stability, multiculturalism, clean environments, and world-class healthcare, and education systems

About four-fifths of Canadians live within 160 kilometres of the country’s southern border, where there are warm springs, hot summers, and pleasantly crisp autumns. Winter usually runs from November to March, but the exact dates and lowest temperatures will vary across the country. Foreign students should know that all buildings in which they will study are well heated in winter months. Many university and college campuses have underground tunnels or covered bridges through which students can move from building to building in the wintertime so as not to get cold. In short, winter is beautiful in Canada, and it is very easy to stay warm simply by dressing properly when going outdoors. students studying in Canada during winter months to invest in winter clothing, including a warm coat, a hat, mittens or gloves, a scarf, and boots.

With its range of landscapes, glacial peaks, ice fields, green vegetation and massive mountains, there is a long list of Canadian scenic wonders for students to sight see while studying in the country. Most visited tourist spots at a quick glance are the Niagara Falls, the 135 km long Okanagan Lake with its Ogopogo lake monster, the Glacier National Park, the Banff National Park and the Canadian Rockies, to name a few. From natural peaks to skyscrapers, Canada has it all! Montreal and Toronto are two large cities that offer just about everything students could possibly ask for.  Toronto, an ethnically diverse city is also a major centre of higher learning and research with many well-known institutions such as the University of Toronto. The City of Saints, Montréal, is one that defies all expectation with its lush mix of North American & European swagger and cutting-edge culture.

The higher education system in Canada is quite similar to the American education system, with a little influence from Britain.

There are mainly three types of institutions:

Public Universities: Public universities in Canada are run by the provincial, territorial or federal government funding besides receiving the tuition fees from students.

Private Universities: Private universities in Canada are mostly funded by donations and research grants. These universities do not receive funding from government bodies.

Liberal Arts Colleges: Liberal arts colleges in Canada are pretty similar to that in the USA. These are either public or private colleges, with a primary emphasis on undergraduate courses in liberal arts.