Introduction
Bordered by the North Sea, France, and the Netherlands is Belgium, at 50 50 N, 4 00 E. This small country located in Western Europe is highly urbanized similarly to a country border by 3 oceans and the United States of America, Canada. With the longitude and latitude of 60 00 N, 95 00 W, Canada is a large country with the area of 9,984,670 square kilometres. Even though their land area may be different, the 2 countries also have similar aspects in their human, physical, and economic geography.
Map of Belgium Map of Canada
Physical Geography
The comparison between Belgium and Canada’s physical geography displays similarities and differences. A difference is the area Canada possesses which makes Canada the 2nd largest country in area. This massive area spanning across 6 different time zones, also has 6
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unique physiological regions. These 6 physiological regions consist of the Canadian Shield, Interior Plains, Great Lakes-St Lawrence Lowlands, Appalachian Region, Western Cordillera, and Arctic Archipelago. Each region has it’s a unique relief, climate, and more. For example the Interior Plains has a continental climate, whereas the Western Cordillera has a maritime climate because it’s bordered by the Pacific Ocean. Due to Belgium’s small area of 30,528 square kilometres, as well as being bordered by the North Sea it has a maritime climate similarly to Canada’s region the Western Cordillera. Although Canada and Belgium share a maritime climate in some areas, Belgium is a low lying country, with its 694 m peak located at Signal de Botrange. On the contrary, Canada’s highest point is on Mount Logan at 5,959 m and has different elevations of relief, such as the low lying Interior Plains. Since Canada is such a massive country with its area, it also has a wide range of temperatures. Northern Canada has very cold Winters, and short cool Summers. While cities in Southern Ontario and Quebec, such as Toronto have hot, humid Summers, and cold snowy Winters. Climate Graph of Toronto On the other hand Belgium has a mean temperature of around 10°C with its Winter’s that are damp and cool, as well as their mild summers. Climate Graph of Brussels Human Geography Canada’s human geography resembles and contrasts to Belgiums . Both Canada and Belgium are highly developed countries with over 80% of the population living in urban areas. Though unlike Canada, Belgium has a highly dense population due to it’s population of 11,300,000 and limited land size. Even though, Canada’s population, might be larger, 35,706,000, it’s land is 327 times larger than Belgium’s land causing the population to be spread across Canada. Besides the population density of the two countries, currency is also different.
Canada’s currency is the Canadian dollar, while Belgium’s is the Euro.
Another resembling point is both Canada and Belgium are multicultural countries with two or more languages are spoken commonly in the country. English and French are commonly spoken in Canada, while Belgians speak French, Dutch, and German. This also results in many mixed ethnic groups, such as the Chinese and Greeks resulting in no official religion.
Canadian Flag Belgian Flag
Disregarding the population number of the Belgium and Canada, their population pyramids are similar. In both countries and genders, the majority of the population are aged 50 - 54, with a lower percentage of younger people. This constrictive population pyramid shows that Canada and Belgium have declining birth rates.
Population Pyramid (Canada) Population Pyramid (Belgium)
Economic
Geography Canada and Belgium’s economic geography are different and similar in a variety of ways. Both countries rely on similar basic economies, such as tourism, forestry, and fishing. The difference is the economy’s importance to a certain country. For example, almost half of Canada is covered with forest, therefore forestry is a large part of the economy. This is unlike Belgium which relies on forestry to reduce the amount of timber needed to be imported. The circle graphs below represents the similar economies Canada and Belgium rely on. As shown agriculture does not contribute much, while services contribute to more than 69% for both countries gross domestic products. Other differences include countries Canada and Belgium trade with. For example, most of Canada’s trades occur with the United States of America, while the majority of Belgium’s trades occur with Germany, France, Netherland, and United Kingdom. In addition Canada also has a positive trade balance of around 1 billion dollars, while Belgium has a negative trade balance of 83 billion dollars. Even though both countries contain natural ressources, Canada is abundant in resources such as gold, potash, diamonds, fish, and timber. Conclusion In conclusion, Canada and Belgium are 2 different countries each with similar and different components in their human, physical, and economic geography. These unique components all affect one another making Canada and Belgium their own great country.
Canada my Canada by Tomson Highway describes Canada in a very descriptive way. The majestic mountains are like a protective wall for the Great Plains. The blue water with the diverse marine life and the Forests that provide air for a big part of North America.
There was a notable divide between Canada’s French and English-speaking population in the 1960s, as they each presented contrasting views of the country’s national identity. As the federal government faced what seemed like two separate nations embodied within a single country, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson assembled the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism in July 1963. It was to evaluate the existing state of bilingualism and biculturalism and recommend the actions needed to alleviate the largely linguistic and cultural divides in Canada. Pearson’s directive was given at a time when Quebec was experiencing a period of great social and economic development through the Quiet Revolution, while English-Canada was grappling with the re-establishment of the country’s identity as the British definition of Canada was becoming increasingly rejected. This paper will assess bilingualism and biculturalism as it challenged national identity, seen through the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism (RCBB) and the influence of the Quiet Revolution; which resulted in policy – the Official Languages Act in 1969 and the Official Multicultural Policy in 1971 – that ultimately shaped bilingualism and biculturalism within what became a multicultural framework in Canada.
Central Intelligence agency , "Canada ." Last modified November 12, 2013. Accessed November 27, 2013. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ca.html.
Dheeraj Patel Journey Around Canada 2. How do the natural characteristics of Canada influence human activity, and how might human activity influence Canada’s natural characteristics? (B1) In the Central part of Canada there are many different human activities that affect natural characteristics. In the Central part of Canada there are many interior plains landforms.
According to citizen and immigration Canada statistics, (Immigrating to Canada, 2009), each year, Canada welcomes more than 200,000 new immigrants. It creates a diverse of multiple nationalities. Most immigrants from Europe or their descendants have religious backgrounds which respect universal fraternity. Also the multiculturalism makes Canada a "melting pot" for every member in the "pot". People respect each other and live together peacefully. People with different backgrounds live together peacefully without discrimination.
Chapter 2: Canada’s Physical Base emphasizes reasoning for which its physical geography attributes to its regional geography, along with the population distribution and developing core regions. This chapter outlines main geological structure, landforms, climate, and impact on human a...
“Multiculturalism” entered public speech in the late 1960s and early 1970s in Canada that focused on unique cultural diversity, nationalities, and ethnicity across the nation. Multiculturalism and Immigration are important factors in the development of Canada to attain a strong multicultural example of economic stability, social and political growth which leads to the emergence of Canada’s identity and culture.
Canada and the United States are both democratic, federal states. Both of these countries have been populated solely by immigrants and the offspring of immigrants. Also, they share the longest undefended border in the world.
North America is the third largest continent in the world right behind Africa, and Asia. Two of the largest countries in the world are, our very own, the United States of America and Canada. Canada is the second largest country in the world. Although they are a part of North America, Canada is very well known because of the European culture that is a part of their country. Before the Europeans came over to Canada, a large population of a group called the Paleo-Indians not only populated what would eventually become Canada, but they also inhabited the other countries of North America. After thousands of years living in Canada, Europeans came across the Americas and began to settle. In fourteen ninety seven , explorer John Cabot discovered and claimed land on the east coast of Canada for King Henry the eighth, two years after moving to England for Canada. After the discovery by John Cabot, other European countries became excited at the idea of the coastal areas in this new found land. The only European country to really establish themselves in what would be Canada, were France.
Just like any country or nation, Canada posses its own unique culture, language and history. As with other cultures throughout the world, Canada’s culture is a result from a long history of influences, some peaceful and some arising out of conflict. This essay will discuss some important information about Canada. First and foremost, Canada is the second largest country in the world and is located
Canada is a vast country with a strong multiculturalism policy, many distinct regions, and heavy foreign influence. The size of Canada has shaped much of Canadian’s way of life. Communications could not have developed easily or naturally in Canada without relying on technological innovations to bond the country in a communicative society. Canada has been divided into provinces and territories which have extremely different terrains, climates, economies and cultures. These differences create conflicting interests and misunderstandings.
Canadian fertility started its decline early in the 19th century. It dropped about 30% between the years of 1851 and 1891. This long term decline in fertility was offset by the number of young, prolific immigrants arriving in Canada seeking a new and better life. Statistics show average Canadian families had 4.1 children for parents who were born in 1871; whereas parents born in 1911 had an average of 2.9 ...
Belgium is located in Western Europe. It’s located to the north of France, also bordering with Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, and the Netherlands to the north. A strip of land in the northwest lies on the North Sea. The country’s capital is Brussels, located a few miles north of the invisible language barrier that runs east to west. It began as a small hamlet in the 7th century, although officially founded in c. 979, and eventually grew to the city it is today (Wikipedia, “Brussels” 5). The entire country covers an area of 30,528 km². Despite its small size, Belgium has three distinct landscapes. Beginning in the northwest, on the North sea is an area of seacoast and flat coastal plains. Lower Belgium, as it’s called, only reaches to about 100 m above sea level. Central Belgium is between 100 and 200 m above sea level. It’s characterized by low and very fertile clay plateaus. Upper Belgium, more commonly known as the Ardennes region is in the southeast of Belgium. It’s height above sea level can range from 200 to over 500m. The area is known to be heavily forested and characterized by rolling hills. It’s a popular tourist destination with its beautiful valleys and beech forests, but because of its abundance of trees it’s also the least populated area, as can be seen in the population density map to the left. Upper Belgium begins below the Sambre and Meuse rivers (BFG 1). After this point, population sharply decreases. However, it should be noted that population would have decreased before the river line, if not for the large coal deposits that existed there along with iron and steel as well as other nonferrous metals. Other areas rich with natural resources are in northern Belgium. Examples of the...
Their values are similar in terms of government, diversity and human rights. In both countries, the governments are run democratically. The people of the country vote for their leader rather than the leader be appointed by themselves like a dictator. Both countries are civil with each other because both the people and the governments believe in democracy over communism or fascism. Therefore, we get along in a way that we have parallel views about how our countries are to be run in peace and equality. Also, Canada and the United States bond over the diverse populations we have and the cultural influences we have endorsed over the years. In Canada, more than 200 languages were reported in the 2011 Census of Population as a home language or mother tongue . Likewise, there are about 14 million households in the United States which English is not spoken as a first language . With this variety of languages and cultures, Canada and the USA share the same inclusive values and therefore develop a healthy relationship. Additionally, these two countries both believe that all human beings deserves rights and freedoms with no exclusions or exceptions. Of course there are some people within these countries who think the opposite of equality, however as a whole, both countries try to enforce human rights and freedoms. For
Hart, Diane. Geography Alive! Regions and People. Palo Alto, CA: Teachers' Curriculum Institute, 2006. Print.