During Canada's first century of independence the Union Jack was still flown, but with a Canadian coat of arms. The maple leaf design, with the national colors, became official on Feb. 15, 1965. Since 1868 the maple leaf has been a national symbol, and in 1921 a red leaf in the coat of arms stood for Canadian sacrifice during World War I.

Canada Official name: Canada. Form of government: federal multiparty parliamentary state with two legislative houses (Senate [104]; House of Commons [301]). Chief of state: Queen of Canada (British Monarch). Representative of chief of state: Governor-General. Head of government: Prime Minister. Population (1998): 30,677,000. Population projection: (2000) 31,472,000; (2010) 35,065,000. Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1996): 5.3 (world avg. 15.7). Gross national product (1996): U.S.$569,899,000,000 (U.S.$19,020 per capita). Land use (1994): forested 53.6%; meadows and pastures 3.0%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 4.9%; built-on, wasteland, and other 38.5%.