Surprising Facts You Didn’t Know About Canada

Growing Gambling Market

In 2019, the Canadian gambling market generated over $2.6 billion and hired over 45,000 people, making it one of the biggest industries in the country.

To put that into perspective, the maple syrup industry produces around $400 million worth of the sweet stuff every year, which means gambling is a more valuable asset and a bigger contributor to the nation’s GDP.

Not only does the gambling industry boost employment and increase tax revenue, but it also has a knock-on effect that can be felt across the country.

For instance, the online gambling sector has exploded in recent years, welcoming massive global brands like Karamba, Mansion, and the Kindred Group, and attracting countless developers, service providers, creators, and payment providers.

As more Canadians rush to try Karamba and other big online domains, the demand surges and the need for content and marketing grows with it, leading to an increased amount of work for Canadian writers, designers, SEO experts, and marketing specialists.

Maple Leaves in Silver and Gold

The maple leaf is an iconic Canadian symbol, and a large part of this global fame is down to the maple leaf coin.

Produced by the Royal Canadian Mint and available in gold and silver, the maple leaf is one of the world’s biggest bullion coins. In the first twenty years of production, close to 30 million silver coins and 15 million gold coins were minted.

It’s so iconic that even palladium and platinum varieties have been produced.

These coins are the biggest bullion coins in more ways than one. In 2007, the Royal Canadian Mint produced a 100kg gold coin with a face value of $1 million and an inherent value of $3.5 million!

Bigger than You Think

A lot has been said about the size of the US and of states like Texas, but you might be surprised to learn that Canada is actually bigger than its neighbour to the south.

Canada occupies a vast 3.855.100 square miles, compared to the US, which falls just short of 3.800.000 square miles. The US population is roughly 9 times bigger, of course, and this means that most of Canada’s vast expanse is empty, with nearly 90% uninhabited.

For an even more awe-inspiring comparison, consider this, Canada is roughly 15 times larger than France, the largest country in the European Union. In fact, it’s larger than all of the EU countries put together and is a whopping 41 times larger than the United Kingdom, even though it has nearly half the population!

Kraft Lovers

Kraft is one of the largest food brands in the United States but it wouldn’t be the size it is without a little help from Canada.

Every week, over 7 million boxes of Kraft Mac n Cheese are sold around the world and nearly 2 million are sold in Canada alone. This means that Canadians have a greater appetite for Kraft Mac n Cheese than their southern neighbours, eating an impressive 55% more.

A Global Appetite for Canadian Food

Canada wouldn’t be Canada without maple syrup, and it produces more than 70% of the global supply. However, it has an even greater share of the green lentil market, with more than 80% of the world’s supply coming from these shores and the vast majority of that coming from Saskatchewan.

95% of all pulses grown in Canada are exported and the country also ships 90% of its canola, 70% of its soybeans, and 75% of its wheat. With vast swaths of farmland and a comparatively limited population, Canadian farmers are increasingly reliant on exports, which means most of the food produced within the country is consumed elsewhere.

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