Canada

　　Canada is the second largest country in the world.It is larger than the USA and reaches nearly a quarter of the way round the earth.The distance from east to west is over 5,500 kilometres and the country covers six of the world's 24 time areas.The population of Canada is about 35 million and the capital is Ottawa.There are two official languages, French and English.The first travellers arrived from England in 1497.Settlers from France reached Canada in 1534.For two centuries English and French settlers struggled against each other to control the country.Today, one province of Canada is French-speaking.The TV and radio programmes there are in French.There are French restaurants, and all the teaching in schools is done in French.Canada has one third of the world's supply of fresh water.There are five great lakes in the south, and there are many others, especially in the north.Most of the electricity is produced by water.The country has a great deal of coal, oil and natural gas, and these are all exploited for energy.Much of the country is covered by forests, and wood is cut and sold all over the world.Canada is also the world's biggest producer of the kind of paper which is used for newspapers.Fishing is also very important for Canadians.Fish from the east and west coasts is sold to many other countries.

加拿大

加拿大是世界上的第二大国。领土面积比美国大，并且领土的延伸接近地球赤道的四分之一。从东到西的距离超过了5 500千米，并且覆盖了世界上二十四个时区中的六个。加拿大的人口总数约为2 900万，首都为渥太华。其官方语言有两种，法语和英语。1497年，从英格兰来的首批移居者(拓荒者)来到了这儿。1534年，从法国来的移居者也到达此地。两个世纪以来，英国和法国的殖民者为了争夺这个国家的控制权而相互斗争。今天，加拿大有一个说法语的省，电视和收音机里的节目都是用法语播放的。这儿有法国餐馆，学校里所有的教学都是用法语进行的。加拿大拥有世界淡水资源的三分之一。加拿大的南部有五大湖，并且还有许多其他的湖泊，尤其是在北部。加拿大主要是靠水力发电，它拥有大量的煤炭、石油和天然气资源，这些都是可以作为能源来开发利用的。加拿大的大部分地区都被森林覆盖，砍下来的木材被销往世界各地。加拿大还是世界上报纸制作所需纸张的最大生产国。渔业对加拿大人来说也是非常重要的。来自东部和西部海岸的鱼被销往许多其他国家。