Why 80% of Canada is Empty

Canada is bigger than the United States. But while America has 340 million people, Canada has just 41 million — barely more than the state of California. And almost all of them live crammed into a thin strip along the southern border. 90% of Canadians live within 100 miles of the United States. The rest of the country — an area bigger than the entire European Union — is almost completely empty. In this video, we explain why. From the Canadian Shield — one of the oldest geological formations on Earth — to permafrost that swallows roads and buildings, from the railway decision that locked Canada's population into the south forever, to a summer mosquito plague so dense it suffocates cattle. We also look at why Canada's empty north is suddenly becoming one of the most strategically important places on the planet, with critical minerals, melting permafrost, and the opening of the Northwest Passage. SOURCES: Statistics Canada — Population Distribution Natural Resources Canada — Canadian Shield Geology IPC Food Price Index — Nunavut Grocery Costs Bloomberg — Critical Minerals in Canada's North Canadian Geographic — Permafrost and Climate Change #canada #whycanadaisempty #geography #canadianshield #permafrost