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In
spite of the rapid growth of road, air, and pipeline services since
1945, railways are still important because they can supply
all-weather transportation in large volume over continental
distances. There were an estimated 36,114 kilometers (22,441 miles)
of all standard gauge railways in 2001. About 90% of the railway
facilities are operated by two great continental systems, the
government-owned Canadian National Railways (CNR), which was
privatized in 1995, and the privately-owned Canadian Pacific Ltd.
(CP), with 34,016 kilometers (21,137 miles). CNR and CP also
maintain steamships and ferries, nationwide telegraph services,
highway transport services, and hotel chains.
Because of difficult winter weather conditions, road maintenance is
a continual and expensive task in Canada. There are about 901,902
kilometers (560,442 miles) of roads, 318,371 kilometers (197,835
miles) of which are paved, including 16,571 kilometers (10,297
miles) of expressways.
Canada
ranks next to the United States in per-capita use of motor
transport, with one passenger car for every two persons. Motor
vehicles in use in 2000 totaled 18,449,900, including 14,147,300
passenger cars and 4,302,600 trucks, buses, and taxis. A bridge from
Prince Edward Island to the mainland was completed in 1997.
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Canada makes heavy use of water transport in domestic
as well as foreign commerce. The major part of Canada's merchant
fleet, 573,089 gross registered tons in 1995, consists of tankers.
Montreal is Canada's largest port and the world's largest grain
port. Other well-equipped ports are Toronto, Hamilton, Port Arthur,
and Fort William on the Great Lakes, and Vancouver on the Pacific
Coast.
The Saint Lawrence Seaway and Power Project,
constructed jointly by Canada and the United States, provides an
8-meter (27-feet) navigation channel from Montreal to Lake Superior.
The Athabasca and Slave rivers and the Mackenzie, into which they
flow, provide an inland, seasonal water transportation system from
Alberta to the Arctic Ocean. The Yukon river also is navigable.
International air service is provided by
government-owned Air Canada and Canadian Airlines. Regional service
is provided by some 570 smaller carriers. Canada has 1,138 airports,
including 816 with permanent runways. Canadian airlines transported
24,203,800 passengers in 2001.
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Canada
Canada brief history
Topography
Climate
Forestry
Mining
Economy
Nunavut
Territory
Ethnic
Groups
Languages
Canada - US
Border
Fishing
Canada Transportation
Tourism and Recreation
Alberta
Edmonton City
Fort
Ile-aux-Noix
Calgary
Vancouver Island
British
Columbia
Victoria
Nootka Sound
Yukon river
Manitoba
Auyuittuq National Park
Akshayuk Pass
Where to go
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