Administrative divisions of Canada
Canada is divided into 13 first-level administrative divisions:
Largest cities in Canada
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toronto | 5,213,000 |
| 2 | Montréal | 3,678,000 |
| 3 | Vancouver | 2,313,328 |
| 4 | OttawaCapital | 1,145,000 |
| 5 | Calgary | 1,110,000 |
| 6 | Edmonton | 1,058,000 |
| 7 | Hamilton | 721,053 |
| 8 | Winnipeg | 632,063 |
| 9 | Québec | 624,177 |
| 10 | Oshawa | 450,963 |
Toronto is the largest urban area in Canada with about 5,213,000 people; the capital, Ottawa, has about 1,145,000.
Terrain, rivers & lakes
Highest terrain in Canada: ≈ 5,725 m — read from the global elevation model, so summit heights are approximate. The physical map paints elevation bands from green lowlands to brown highlands.
🌊 Rivers
- South Nahanni
- Keele
- Miramichi
- Harricana
- La Grande
- Missinaibi
- Saskatchewan
- North Saskatchewan
- Stikine
- Thelon
- Athabasca
- Fraser
- R. des Outaouais
- Ottawa
- Porcupine
- St. Lawrence
- Albany
- Churchill
- Rupert
- Coppermine
- Rainy
- Winnipeg
- Back
- South Saskatchewan
- Nelson
- Skeena
- Liard
- Beaver
- Finlay
- Saint John
- Peace
- Mackenzie
- Pend Orielle
- Severn
- Caniapiscau
- Péribonka
- Slave
- Bell
- Nottaway
- Red
- Manicouagan
- Ivanhoe
- Arctic Red
- Connecticut
- Winisk
- Natashquan
- George
- Stewart
- Yukon
- Mattagami
- Groundhog
- Mlzes
- Nechako
- Grande Rivire de la Baleine
- Eastmain
- Donjek
- Moose
- Koksoak
- White
- Teslin
- English
- Columbia
- Thlewiaza
- Kazan
- Flathead
- Anderson
- Saguenay
- Assiniboine
- Pelly
- Babine
- Thompson
- Ekwan
- Grand
- Niagara
- St. Clair
- Richelieu
- Cree
- Burnside
- Arnaud
- French
- Gods
- Exploits
- St. Marys
- Gatineau
- St.-Maurice
- Hayes
🏞️ Lakes
- Great Bear Lake
- Great Slave Lake
- McLeod Bay
- Lake Winnipeg
- Lake Erie
- Lake Ontario
- Lake Saint Clair
- Lake
- Wollaston Lake
- Reindeer Lake
- Lake of the Woods
- Lake Nipigon
- Lake Manitoba
- Lake Winnipegosis
- Lake Athabasca
- Lake Mistassini
- Nettilling Lake
- Dubawnt Lake
- Baker Lake
- Lake Champlain
- Churchill Lake
- Lac la Martre
- Cree Lake
- Kasba Lake
- Lac-à-l'Eau-Claire
- Lake Nipissing
- Lake Sakami
- Scott Lake
- Lake Claire
- Rainy Lake
- Split Lake
- Lake St. Joseph
- Amadjuak Lake
- Teslin Lake
- Lake Bienville
- Lac des Mille Lacs
- Trout Lake
- Lake Rossignol
- Grand Lake
- Black Lake
- Bluenose Lake
- Colville Lake
- Hottah Lake
- Big Trout Lake
- Island Lake
- Lake Naococane
- Lac la Ronge
- Lake Simcoe
- Gods Lake
- Yathkyed Lake
- Aylmer Lake
- Clinton-Colden Lake
- Lac Île-à-la-Crosse
- Wholdaia Lake
- Tehek Lake
- Point Lake
- Chiputneticook Lakes
- Aishihik Lake
- Marmion Lake
- Lac du Bonnet
- Sandy Lake
- Kluane Lake
- Lynx Lake
- Washburn Lake
- Napaktulik
- Keller Lake
- Tathlina Lake
- Selwyn Lake
- Nonacho Lake
- Aberdeen Lake
- Long Lake
- Sturgeon Lake
- Minnitaki Lake
- Contwoyto Lake
- Nueltin Lake
- Lesser Slave Lake
- Lake Payne
- Lac Minto
- Garry Lake
- Travaillant Lake
- Lac Chavigny
- Zeta Lake
- North Caribou Lake
- Lake Plétipi
- Lake Kipawa
- Big Rideau Lake
- Lake Superior
- Lake Huron
- Whitefish Bay
- North Channel
- Georgian Bay
- Lac Low
- Southern Indian Lake
- Tobin Lake
- Cedar Lake
- Sipiwesk Lac
- Ogoki Reservoir
- Umfreville Lake
- Lac Seul
- Cabonga Reservoir
- Lake Abitibi
- Dozois Reservoir
- Lac Saint-Jean
- Lake Péribonca
- Réservoir de La Grande 2
- Réservoir Manicouagan
- Réservoir de La Grande 3
- Williston Lake
- Réservoir Gouin
- Lower Arrow Lake
- Réservoir Baskatong
- Réservoir Pipmuacan
- Réservoir de Caniapiscau
- Lac Bermen
- Kinbasket Lake
- Upper Arrow Lake
- Lake Diefenbaker
- Ossokmanuan Lake
- Réservoir Outardes Quatre
- St. Marys River
- Whitefish Lake
- Smallwood Reservoir
Ethnic groups in Canada
Canadian 15.6%, English 14.7%, Scottish 12.1%, French 11%, Irish 12.1%, German 8.1%, Chinese 4.7%, Italian 4.3%, First Nations 1.7%, Indian 3.7%, Ukrainian 3.5%, Metis 1.5% (2021 est.)
Regionally, English is the most common ethnic group across most of the 13 divisions, while Canadian predominates in 2 divisions (Québec, New Brunswick); Scottish predominates in 2 divisions (Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island); German predominates in 1 division (Saskatchewan); First Nations predominates in 1 division (Northwest Territories).
Source: CIA World Factbook (2021 est.) · regional dominance compiled by Glostats from censuses and surveys
Religions in Canada
Christian 53.3%, Muslim 4.9%, Hindu 2.3%, Sikh 2.1%, Buddhist 1%, Jewish 0.9%, Traditional (North American Indigenous) 0.2%, other religions and traditional spirituality 0.6%, none 34.6% (2021 est.)
Regionally, Christian is the most common religious group across most of the 13 divisions, while none predominates in 2 divisions (British Columbia, Yukon).
Source: CIA World Factbook (2021 est.) · regional dominance compiled by Glostats from censuses and surveys
Languages in Canada
English (official) 87.1%, French (official) 29.1%, Chinese languages 4.2%, Spanish 3.2%, Punjabi 2.6%, Arabic 2.4%, Tagalog 2.3%, Italian 1.5% (2022 est.)
Regionally, English is the most common language group across most of the 13 divisions, while French predominates in 1 division (Québec); Inuktitut predominates in 1 division (Nunavut).
Source: CIA World Factbook (2022 est.) · regional dominance compiled by Glostats from censuses and surveys
Explore more
Sources: boundaries, cities, rivers and lakes from Natural Earth (public domain, 1:10m); elevation from the AWS Open Data terrain tiles (SRTM/GMTED); ethnic, religious and language shares from the CIA World Factbook; regional dominance compiled by Glostats from national censuses and surveys. Page generated 2026-10-19. More about our data.