35 Fun Facts About Canada You Probably Didn't Know

Ever find yourself curious about what makes Canada such a hit? Well, get ready to dive into some fun facts about Canada, also called the ‘Great White North’! We’re about to uncover some of Canada's unknown facts that might just surprise you—from wildlife to geography. So, are you ready to grab your toque and join us on this Canadian adventure, eh?

35 Fun Facts About Canada

Canada is a vast and diverse country known for its breathtaking landscapes, rich history, and friendly people. But beyond its iconic maple syrup and love for hockey, there's so much more to discover about the Great White North. Whether you're a curious traveler or a proud Canadian, these 35 fun facts will give you a deeper appreciation for what makes Canada truly unique. 

1. The Most famous Canadians live in the US

One of the coolest fun facts about Canada is that it is practically bursting with talent! The country is a hotbed of superstars, from the chart-topping Justin Bieber to the endlessly cool Keanu Reeves, the hilarious Jim Carrey, the iconic Celine Dion, the unstoppable Drake, the always-funny Seth Rogen, and the legendary Robin Sparkles!

2. The beaver is the national animal of Canada

One of the coolest fun facts about Canada is that the official symbol is an adorable, buck-toothed beaver! On March 24, 1975, the beaver (Castor canadensis) earned its crown as a national icon. Who would've guessed that this furry critter would make it to such high status? But it’s true—thanks to the National Symbol of Canada Act, which received royal approval, the beaver now proudly represents Canadian sovereignty. Isn’t that a wild choice for a national symbol? 

3. There was a war in Canada called the "Beaver Wars"

One of Canada's cool facts: Beaver Wars kicked off in 1628 and became the longest of nine epic conflicts, stretching on for more than 70 years! Fast forward to August 4, 1701, when 1,300 representatives from nearly 40 Indigenous nations—including the Potawatomi—along with the governor of New France, all gathered to sign the Treaty of Montreal. And what was the big event? The establishment of peace! Isn’t it wild how they managed to bring so many people together after such a long and intense period? 

4. Kanata was the original name of Canada

One of the most fun facts about Canada is that the name "Canada" likely comes from the St. Lawrence Iroquoian word kanata. This word originally meant "village" or "settlement," but it could also be translated to "land" or "town." Imagine a cozy cluster of dwellings or a little collection of huts—that’s the vibe the name Canada was going for! Aren't these fun facts about Canada make you think that the country’s name might have come from such a simple and homey concept?

5. Canada's coastline is the longest in the world

Do you have a map of Canada because the next fun facts about Canada will blow your mind. The map will show you more than 125,500 miles of Coastline in length. One of the most unknown geographical things is that Maple country boasts the world's longest Coastline, with 202,000 km in length. One more among the fun facts about Canada? It will take you four and a half years to cover Canada's Coastline by walking. Another interesting fact about Canada: the second-longest Coastline is only one-fourth of Canada's Coastline.

6. Canada also has the longest international border

Did you know that Canada and the United States share the world's longest international border? Surprisingly, one of the best geographical fun facts about Canada is that it is 8,890 kilometers long! Now, can you imagine driving that distance? For comparison, the border between Russia and Kazakhstan stretches 6,846 kilometers, and the Chile-Argentina border runs 5,308 kilometers. Who knew borders could be so lengthy, right? 

7. Canada has some super grand hotels

The "chateauesque" architectural style was influenced by French Renaissance design. The architectural style is often used in Canada, particularly in the massive "grand railway hotels" constructed when train travel became popular in the 20th century. The Royal York in Toronto, Banff Springs, and Hotel Vancouver are breathtakingly gorgeous! You may also dive deeper into the grandeur of the best restaurants in Toronto. The super grand hotels definitely couldn't be missed when we talk about fun facts about Canada.

8. The coldest ever recorded temperature in Canada is -63°C

Brrr, it's chilly up in Canada, but did you know just how chilly? Here's one of the frosty fun facts about Canada: the country once got as cold as Mars! On February 3rd, 1947, in a tiny Yukon village called Snag, the temperature plummeted to a bone-chilling -63 degrees Celsius. That's right—Mars-level cold right here on Earth! Would you dare step outside in that kind of cold?

9. North America's only walled city exists in Canada

Quebec City is the capital of Quebec and, after Montreal, the second largest city in the province. This is where one of the fun facts about Canada has evolved. Quebec's Old Town (Vieux-Québec) is the only North American fortified city north of Mexico whose walls still exist. However, the city walls of Quebec were constructed in the 17th century. British forces took over the city and improved the walls. They are now a UNESCO World Heritage site and are fairly well kept.

10. A bear from Canada inspired Winnie the Pooh

Christopher Robin was inspired by a real person named Christopher Milne. And here's one of the fun facts about Canada with a twist—he's the one who came up with the name! Back in 1915, a bear cub made a journey all the way from White River, Ontario, to the London Zoo. This bear, named Winnipeg, quickly became young Christopher Robin Milne's absolute favorite zoo buddy. Fast forward, and his dad, A.A. Milne turned these adorable encounters into the timeless Winnie the Pooh stories we all cherish.

11. A polite misunderstanding led to the name ‘Canada’

Nobody knows about these fun facts about Canada: back in 1535, two Aboriginal youths were chatting with French explorer Jacques Cartier. They pointed him towards “kanata,” thinking they were just giving directions to their village, Stadacona. Little did they know, they were actually naming an entire country! Who would’ve guessed that one village would lend its name to all of Canada?

12. Canada has national parks that are bigger than many countries

One of the most amazing and fun facts about Canada is that Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta is 44,000 square kilometres—making it bigger than Denmark and Switzerland combined! Crazy, right? And that's not all! Ever heard of Nahanni National Park Reserve in the Northwest Territories? It's a massive wonderland of over 30,000 square kilometres, even bigger than Israel! Can you imagine getting lost in a place that huge? 

13. Canada has some interesting ways to fight a war

Canada and Denmark have been playfully feuding over a desolate Arctic island since the 1930s. It’s like a frosty game of Capture the Flag, but with a twist! Instead of battling it out, they swap flags and leave each other gifts of booze! How cool is that? The Danes get treated to some Dutch schnapps, while the Canadians head home with a bottle of good old Canadian Rye Whisky. Who knew international diplomacy could be so spirited and would make a way to the historical fun facts about Canada.

14. Canada eats more doughnuts than any other country in the world

Canadians have a serious love affair with doughnuts! Yep, whether it’s a classic cruller or a mouthwatering apple fritter, Canadians chow down on more doughnuts than anyone else on the planet! And one of the fun facts about Canada: while pop culture, like The Simpsons, might make you think doughnuts are all about American life, guess what? Canada actually has more doughnut shops per person than any other country. How many doughnuts do you think Canadians are munching on right now?

15. In Churchill, Canada, residents commonly leave their cars unlocked

In the chilly town of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, you might be surprised to find that people often leave their car doors unlocked. But there’s a wild reason behind it, making it one of the weirdest fun facts about Canada —this is for a quick getaway from a polar bear! Need a fast escape route? Jump into the nearest car! 

16. The Hawaiian Pizza was invented in Canada

Here’s one of the delicious fun facts about Canada: who had the wild idea to toss pineapple slices onto a pizza? Like seriously, what kind of genius or madman would do that? Well, let us introduce you to the man behind this fruity twist—Sam Panopoulos! This Greek immigrant, who made his way to Canada back in 1954, is the mastermind responsible. And where did this tropical creation happen? At his restaurant, Satellite, in the cozy town of Chatham, Canada. 

17. There is a polar bear jail in Churchill, Canada

Did you think that the relationship between Polar Bear and Canada came to an end? Well, not yet because here’s one of the best fun facts about Canada. Officially called the Polar Bear Holding Facility, this special spot in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, is where they send those naughty or pesky polar bears who are causing a ruckus.

18. Canada is Equally Tall and Wide

Another fun fact about Canada: the country has the widest range of latitudes on the entire planet. The southern tip of Canada lines up with the latitude of Northern California, while the northern border stretches all the way to the top of the world! But here's the kicker—no two places in Canada experience the same season at the same time. 

19. You will probably weigh less in Canada

Canada actually has a slight gravity shortage! But why does Canada have less gravity than it should? This mysterious phenomenon and fun fact about Canada has kept scientists scratching their heads for years.

20. Canadians Put Milk in Bags

Milk bags have been chilling in Canadian fridges since the 1970s. These milk pouches are mostly found in Ontario, Québec, and the Maritimes, and they come in packs of three, each one a non-resealable plastic pouch, adding up to a cool 4 litres of milk. Isn’t that utterly fascinating and the coolest fun facts about Canada?

21. It is illegal to smell bad in Canada

Here’s a stinky fun fact about Canada: if you happen to stink up public space with an offensive odor, you could be facing a two-year stay behind bars. Two whole years just for being a bit too smelly in public! So, next time you're out and about, ask yourself—am I smelling fresh enough to stay out of trouble?

22. Canada has the 4th lowest population density on Earth

Canada lands at the 38th spot on the global population chart, making it one of the most amazing facts about Canada. With all that wide-open space, it has a cozy population density of just 4 people per square kilometer (or 11 folks per square mile, if you prefer). Canada's vast land stretches across 9,093,510 square kilometers (that's 3,511,022 square miles!). With so much room to roam, who wouldn’t want to explore it all? 

23. Canada has the highest tides in the world

The highest tides on Earth can be found in Canada's Bay of Fundy. The beautiful provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick border the Bay of Fundy. The bay is used twice a day by more than 100 billion tonnes of water. However, here’s a fun fact about Canada, in both provinces, there are several amazing locations to witness this unique phenomenon. Who would miss this opportunity?

24. A Canadian invented basketball

Did you know that basketball was cooked up by a clever Canadian named James Naismith way back in 1891? This amazing fact Canada will make you fall in love with the sport more! He was teaching at the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts when he came up with the idea. Fast forward to today, and basketball has dribbled its way to becoming one of the most popular sports on the planet! 

25. A Canadian created Superman

Born on July 10, 1914, Joseph Shuster, a Canadian-American comic book artist made history. These historical fun facts about Canada have been the highlight of the country. He teamed up with Jerry Siegel to create none other than Superman himself. Yep, that’s right—the iconic superhero first appeared in Action Comics #1, back in June 1938, thanks to these two creative geniuses. 

26. Santa Claus is Canadian

On December 23, 2008, Jason Kenney, Canada’s Minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism, rolled out the red carpet and awarded Santa his Canadian citizenship. And here's one of the fun facts about Canada: in 2012, another Canadian immigration minister proudly reaffirmed Santa’s Canadian status! Could it be that Santa’s iconic red and white suit was inspired by the Canadian flag? Oh, and if you ever want to drop Santa a line, just send it to Santa Claus, North Pole, HOH OHO, Canada.

27. There's a place in Canada where gravity seems not to apply

Ever wonder why gravity seems to play hide-and-seek in the Hudson Bay area? Well, one intriguing theory suggests it’s all thanks to the massive Laurentide Ice Sheet that once smothered much of Canada and the northern U.S. One of the fun facts about Canada: Just an ice blanket nearly 2 miles (3.2 km) thick spread across the land, with some spots in Hudson Bay, gets an extra layer, making it 2.3 miles (3.7 km) thick! 

28. Canada is home to the oldest known rocks on Earth

Acasta Gneiss is an ancient rock, chilling out in the Canadian Shield along the banks of the Acasta River in the Northwest Territories. Want to be amazed more by this fun fact about Canada? It is over four billion years old! That makes it the ultimate OG, the oldest known rock on Earth, and the planet's very first rock star.

29. You will find the world's oldest pool of water in a Canadian mine

Another fun fact about Canada is that in 2016, a group of adventurous geoscientists and researchers from the University of Toronto hit the jackpot! They stumbled upon a pool of water that's been chilling out for a mind-blowing two billion years deep within the Kidd Creek Mine in Timmins, Ontario. 

30. 10% of the World's Forests are in Canada

Canada’s forests stretch across 347 million hectares. That's a lot of trees! In fact, the facts about Canada are that these forests make up almost nine per cent of all the forests on Earth. With all this greenery, Canada claims the title of the third most forested country in the world.  

31. Canada is the second-largest country in the world

Canada is the second-largest country in the world when you count both land and water, right behind Russia. But here’s one of the fun facts about Canada: if we only consider the land, the country drops to fourth place! It’s because of all that incredible freshwater—those beautiful lakes cover about 9% of the country’s land area. 

32. The maple leaf has been Canada's symbol since the 1800s

What if we tell you that there’s a tree so remarkable that it made quite the splash with early settlers, yet it took until the 19th century for the humble maple leaf to truly shine as a symbol of national pride? Can you believe these fun facts about Canada? From that moment, this leaf started popping up everywhere, blossoming into the iconic symbol of Canada that we all know and love today.

33. Canada has six time zones

Take a look at a map, and you'll notice something pretty cool—Canada stretches all the way from 52 degrees to 141 degrees west! Ever wondered how that affects time? You are going to uncover one of the fun facts about Canada. Well, because each time zone spans about 15 degrees, Canada is home to not one, not two, but six unique time zones! Can you name them all? 

Let’s see—starting from the west, we’ve got Pacific, Mountain, Central, Eastern, Atlantic, and then the quirky Newfoundland, which dances to its own rhythm. Most time zones are an hour apart, but guess what? Newfoundland likes to keep things interesting with a 30-minute difference. Curious about where they all begin? Pacific Time kicks off at UTC -8, while Newfoundland sets the clock at UTC -3:30.

34. There are two different languages in Canada

Canada has been proudly bilingual since 1969! Yep, that’s when the Official Languages Act made English and French the country’s official languages. But here are the fun facts about Canada: if you’re looking to brush up on your French, Quebec is the place to be! Most of Canada's French-speaking population lives there, and French isn’t just a language—it’s a way of life. 

35. Canada has 2 seasonal national sports

Have you ever wondered why hockey feels like a national pastime in Canada? It's because Canadians have a deep love affair with the sport, and every winter, you can find countless people lacing up their skates and hitting the ice. It's no surprise that some of the world's hockey greats hail from the Great White North, right?

But are you waiting for another mind-blowing fun fact about Canada? The country has ‘Lacrosse’ as their official summer national sport. Often called the "Creator's Game," lacrosse isn't just about speed and skill; it holds a deep spiritual significance as well. 

And there you have it—some of the  coolest and quirkiest fun facts about Canada! Who knew this vast country was packed with so many surprises? Did any of these fun facts make you smile or raise an eyebrow? We sure hope this collection of Canadian curiosities kept you entertained and maybe even left you with a new favorite fun fact!