Canada (Cinco De Mayo)

The Federal Republic of Canada (French: Republique Federal du Canada) is a parliamentary democracy, organized as a federal republic consisting of sixteen provinces and a federal district. Prior to 1991, it was a quasi-indepedent Dominion of the British Crown, although after 1945 it operated with almost complete political autonomy within the British Commonwealth, albeit with considerable influence and pressure from London. In 1991, with the collapse of the British Empire, Canada formally withdrew from the Commonwealth and declared itself an independent republic.

Canada is the largest nation by total landmass in the world, only 200 square miles larger than the Russian Federation. Its largest city is Toronto, and its capital is Ottawa. Since emerging from a recession in the late 1990's, it has been the world's second-fastest growing economy and as of 2011 is the eighth-largest economy in the world.