Canada's population is around 40 million, making it one of the least densely populated large countries in the world. Most Canadians live within 300 km of the US border — the vast north is nearly empty.
The country is ethnically diverse and immigration has been central to Canadian identity for over a century. Major cities, particularly Toronto, Vancouver, and Montréal, have significant communities from South Asia, East Asia, the Caribbean, the Philippines, Latin America, and many other parts of the world. Toronto regularly appears on lists of the world's most diverse cities.
Indigenous peoples — First Nations, Métis, and Inuit — make up about 5% of the population and have distinct communities, cultures, and languages. Their history with the Canadian state is complex and often painful; the ongoing process of reconciliation is a live political and social issue.
Canadians are, in the broad generalization, polite and low-key. The apology reflex is real and sometimes comic. There is a genuine egalitarianism in daily life — pulling rank or acting entitled gets you nowhere. Canadians tend to be quietly proud of their country without being loudly patriotic about it, and the distinction from Americans is something many take seriously.
French-speaking Québec has a distinct culture from anglophone Canada. The relationship between the two has defined much of Canadian political history. Québec held referendums on sovereignty in 1980 and 1995 (the latter nearly passed, 49.4% to 50.6%). Today separatist sentiment is lower than in the 1990s but still alive. In practice, visitors find Québec feels like a different country in the best sense: different language, different food, different attitude toward public space and leisure.
Languages: English and French are both official languages. Punjabi, Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, and Tagalog are among the most widely spoken non-official languages.
Religion: Canada is officially secular. About 53% of Canadians identify as Christian (down from over 80% in the 1980s), around 30% report no religious affiliation, and about 4% are Muslim, 2.3% Hindu, 1.7% Sikh, 1% Buddhist, and 1% Jewish.