What Makes Canada Special: Nature, Heritage and National Pride

Canada is defined by scale and by nature: the second-largest country on earth by area, the longest coastline in the world, mountains, lakes and forests on a vast scale, and a culture shaped by Indigenous peoples, two official languages and newcomers from every country. Here is what makes it special.

World Heritage across a continent

UNESCO lists 22 World Heritage properties in Canada, with natural sites outnumbering cultural ones. Among them:

• Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, with their peaks, glaciers and turquoise lakes
• Historic District of Old Québec, a fortified colonial city in North America
• L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, where Norse explorers settled around a thousand years ago
• Gros Morne National Park, a dramatic landscape in Newfoundland
• Nahanni National Park, a remote wilderness of rivers and canyons
• Wood Buffalo National Park, one of the largest national parks in the world

A country of extraordinary nature

Canada is the second-largest country in the world by area and has the longest coastline of any country. Its lakes, forests, mountains and Arctic north give Canadians a deep connection to the outdoors, from lake summers to snowy winters.

Two official languages

English and French are Canada's official languages, and both shape daily life, culture and identity. Québec's French-speaking culture is one of the country's great distinctions.

Indigenous peoples

First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples have lived on the land for thousands of years, and their cultures, languages and art are an essential part of Canada's identity.

A home for the world

Canada is home to people from every country, including one of the largest Sri Lankan communities outside Sri Lanka. That diversity is a source of real national pride.

Maple, hockey and a few other things

Canada produces most of the world's maple syrup, and the maple leaf is recognised everywhere. Ice hockey is followed with passion, and poutine from Québec has become a national favourite.

Carrying the pride with you

Mountains, coastline, two languages and a welcome for the world: Canada gives its people a great deal to be proud of. That pride is what our Canada designs celebrate, and our guide to choosing a gift based on someone's home town shows how to make it personal.