Canada is the second largest country in the world after Russia. It stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the high Arctic  to the northern border of the continental U.S.A. Although very much a "northern" country, the geography of Canada is very  _ . As well as the popular image of Canada as a country of forests, there are also deserts and badlands , rain forests and long and wide beaches. Canada has huge inland lakes, evergreen forests, woodlands and meadows. Canada's coastlines are thousands of miles long, with long, wild rivers leading to the oceans. In contrast  to the expanses of open country, Canada also has its share of urban areas. The majority of the population and heavy industry is in the two provinces of Quebec and Ontario, but large and modern cities are spread across the land from the Atlantic to the Pacific, all within a few hours drive, at most, from the border with the United States. Business is active throughout the country, The Prairie Provinces with their vast fields of grain help to feed the world. The fisheries on both the West and the East Coast are widespread. Oil and natural gas have recently been discovered off the East Coast. The Trans-Canada Highway links the country from coast to coast, there is an extensive  network of railways, and a widespread network of airline routes serving both major and remote  communities. The rural areas are less populated, with more and more people leaving for the larger towns and cities. The lands to the north are much less developed, but as some of these areas are used for their plenty of natural resources, populations are growing. What does the passage mainly tell us about?
A general introduction of Canada. The size of Canada. The population of Canada. Some important cities in Canada.