Capital: Ottawa         …          37,060,000 People         …      9.985 million km² 

The Country

Hockey, Maple Syrup, and Breathtaking Natural Scenery; Canada is known internationally for many things, namely for its cold weather and polite population. With strong social welfare programs and low crime rates, Canada is the second largest country on earth but has a relatively small population. Canada brought the world basketball, peanut butter, and the creation of timezones, and the nation strives to uphold individual rights and freedoms.

Fun Facts:

• Canada is ranked as the most educated country in the world.

• More than 70% of the worlds maple syrup comes from Canada.

• Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world combined.

My Experience

I was born in Calgary, Alberta and quickly became accustom to cold Canadian winters. After traveling around the country growing up, I moved to Victoria, British Columbia as a teenager. Since then, I have tried to travel around the country as much as I can. I have been to every province except Newfoundland & Labrador, and I have yet to visit Nunavut or the Northwest Territories either. After visiting 9 provinces and 1 territory, however, I have realized that exploring the rest of Canada is something I need to do.

British Columbia is filled with incredible hiking locations; Joffre Lake, Cyprus Provincial Park, and Cox Bay are some of the best hiking trails I have ever been on. BC is amazing for drone photography, with large stretches of coastline and mountainous terrain to view from the sky. I have also done most of my night photography here, as light pollution on Vancouver Island is relatively minimal.

The Yukon also has great backcountry hiking, even though wildlife is a bit more… prevalent. When walking along an abandoned railway, my friend and I saw two small movements in the bushes, and then two brown bear cubs came sauntering onto the tracks. Initially I thought it was adorable, but then remembered that their mother would be around. The moment I thought that, a massive brown bear came out of the bushes about 40 feet from us. We stayed still, waiting for them to pass, and then continued on our hike armed with bear spray and canoe oars.

The Yukon also has the smallest desert in the world- Carcross Desert. Only one square mile in size, the desert is surrounded by tall mountains and trees; a unique sight when you’re laying down on hot sand. Carcross is also known for Caribou Crossing Trading Post, filled with husky puppies. The Yukon Wildlife preserve is also filled with animals big and small, including Canadian moose and arctic foxes.

Skating on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, eating poutine in Montreal, walking through the financial district of Toronto, and going to the Calgary Stampede almost every year are all Canadian experiences that I experienced while growing up. With flat prairies, beautiful coasts, and an expansive wilderness, exploring Canada would take a lifetime. The list of stories I have about Canada are extensive, and as my home, Canada will always be my favourite country.

Photos of Canada