Canada is a huge country (second largest in the world), characterised by freezing winters. It is among the coldest countries on Earth. But while the country is usually associated with cold weather and snow, in reality, its climate is as diverse as its landscape.

Temperatures vary widely from region to region: Winters can be harsh in many parts of the country, particularly in the interior and Prairie provinces, which experience a continental climate, where daily average temperatures are near −15 °C, but can drop below −40 °C with severe wind chills. The northern and central parts experience a subarctic climate.

The two major Canadian cities that fall outside the continental climate schema are Vancouver and Victoria. Vancouver has an oceanic climate, bordering warm-summer Mediterranean with a marked summer dry season. Victoria, BC is the only major Canadian city entirely in a warm-summer Mediterranean climate.

Of the eight largest Canadian cities, Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto have the warmest summers, Winnipeg the coldest winters, while Vancouver’s winters are far milder than any other large city in Canada.

Toronto has a semi-continental climate, with a warm, humid summer and a cold winter. On average, it rains seven days a month year-round.

The northernmost part of the country is largely uninhabitable. The harshness of the climate can be gauged from the fact that, despite being the second largest country in the world, it has only about 35 million inhabitants. Its population is unevenly distributed, with the largest cities located along the southern part of the country, bordering the US.