Canada Overview

Capital City: Ottawa

---

The growth remained dynamic in 2005 with a GDP growth equivalent to the growth in 2004, at 2.9%. According to the FMI, it is expected to stabilize at 3.1% in 2006. The basics figures are still good: unemployment touched 6.7% of the active population in 2005 and the inflation rate is restrained. The domestic consumption and the investments remain important. The Canadians standard of living is one of the highest in the world.

The agricultural sector in Canada is very developed. Canada is one of the largest exporters of agricultural products in the world. The principal crops are cereals, fruits and vegetables, sugar beet and tobacco. Canada produces 10% of the world GMO crops. The country holds huge mineral resources, among which gas, uranium, zinc, nickel and oil. The most dynamic activity sectors in Canada are high-tech technologies like telecommunications, Internet -7.9 million (64%) of the 12.3 million Canadian households had at least one member who used the Internet regularly - and aircraft technologies (the turnover represents 21.3 billion Canadian dollars).

Canada is a member of the NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement between the U.S.A., Canada and Mexico. The top three import partners of Canada are the U.S.A, China and Japan. Canada mainly imports vehicles, machines and electronic equipment.  The top three export partners are the U.S.A., Japan and the United Kingdom. The country mainly exports vehicles, hydrocarbons and machines.