As an affluent, high-tech industrial society,
Canada today closely resembles the US in its market-oriented economic
system, pattern of production, and high living standards. Since World
War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and
service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural
economy into one primarily industrial and urban. Real rates of growth
have averaged nearly 3.0% since 1993. Unemployment is falling and
government budget surpluses are being partially devoted to reducing
the large public sector debt. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement
(FTA) and 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which
included Mexico) have touched off a dramatic increase in trade and
economic integration with the US. With its great natural resources,
skilled labor force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid
economic prospects. Two shadows loom, the first being the continuing
constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas,
which has been raising the possibility of a split in the federation.
Another long-term concern is the flow south to the US of professional
persons lured by higher pay, lower taxes, and the immense high-tech
infrastructure.

purchasing power parity - $722.3 billion (1999 est.)

3.6% (1999 est.)

purchasing power parity - $23,300 (1999 est.)

agriculture: 3%
industry: 31%
services: 66% (1998)

NA%

lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)

1.7% (1999)

15.9 million (1999)

services 75%, manufacturing 16%,
construction 5%, agriculture 3%, other 1% (1997)

7.6% (1999)

revenues: $121.8 billion
expenditures: $115.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.7
billion (1998)

processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood
and paper products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish
products, petroleum and natural gas

4.3% (1999 est.)

550.852 billion kWh (1998)

fossil fuel: 27.18%
hydro: 59.77%
nuclear: 12.25%
other: 0.8% (1998)

484.515 billion kWh (1998)

39.502 billion kWh (1998)

11.725 billion kWh (1998)

wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits,
vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish

$277 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

motor vehicles and parts, newsprint, wood pulp,
timber, crude petroleum, machinery, natural gas, aluminum,
telecommunications equipment, electricity

US 84%, Japan 3%, UK, Germany, South Korea,
Netherlands, China (1998)

$259.3 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

machinery and equipment, crude oil, chemicals,
motor vehicles and parts, durable consumer goods, electricity

US 77%, Japan 3%, UK, Germany, France, Mexico,
Taiwan, South Korea (1998)

$253 billion (1996)

ODA, $2.1 billion (1997)

1 Canadian dollar (Can$) = 100 cents

Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$1 - 1.4489 (January
2000), 1.4857 (1999), 1.4835 (1998), 1.3846 (1997), 1.3635 (1996),
1.3724 (1995)

1 April - 31 March