Difference between United States and Canada
Believe it or not, there are still some people around the world who consider the United States and Canada as pretty much identical countries, with the only differences being the climate. Of course nothing could be further from the truth, and both countries are as different as if they were on opposite sides of the globe...well, almost! In any case, here are a few of the more notable geographical features that distinguish them from one another.
Land Area
Depending on how it is measured, the United States can be said to be either just a bit larger than China, or a bit smaller. This makes the U.S. is either the third or fourth largest country in the world. The United States is actually smaller than Canada, although when measured in terms of land area only, the United States is definitely larger. The total area of the United States was measured at 9,372,610 km2. Canada on the other hand has a total land area of 9,984,670 km2. This makes the country just a little bit larger than the U.S.
Geographic Regions
The United States has quite varied geography, considering it spans such a wide area. The main landmass alone is divided into eight physiographic regions, with each being further divided into smaller subdivisions. The major regions are the Laurentian Upland , the Atlantic Plain, the Appalachian Highlands, the Interior Plains, the Interior Highlands, the Rocky Mountain System, Intermontane Plateaus, Pacific Mountain System.
Canada for is part is divided into the West, the Prairies, Central Canada, the Maritimes, and the North. These regions are further divided into the Pacific Coast, the Interior Plains, the Canadian Shield, St. Lawrence Lowlands, the Appalachian Region, and the Arctic Lowlands.
Boundaries
The United States is bordered by Canada on the north and Mexico on the south, and it shares water borders with Russia towards the northwest as well. The first forty-eight states meet with the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Atlantic Ocean toward the east, with the Gulf of Mexico towards the southeast.
As for Canada, its territories extend to the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Pacific Ocean and Alaska towards the west, Newfoundland and the Atlantic Ocean on the east, and the United States on the south.
Summary
United States
- Total land area of 9,372,610 km2
- Larger than Canada when only land area is measured
- Divided into the Laurentian Uplands, the Atlantic Plain, the Appalachian Highlands, the Interior Plains, the Interior Highlands, the Rocky Mountain System, Intermontane Plateaus, Pacific Mountain System.
- Immensely varied geography spanning a huge land area
- Shares borders with Canada, Mexico and Russia
- Bordered by the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Gulf of Mexico
Canada
- Total land area 9,984,670 km2
- Larger total land area than the U.S.
- Divided into the West, the Prairies, Central Canada, the Maritimes, and the North
- Varied geography highlighted by several mountain ranges
- Shares borders with Newfoundland and the United States
- Bordered by the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean
