Whenever you move to a new place, part of settling in is getting to know the area. When you are moving to a new country, that means there is a lot to learn. Canada is no exception, partly because as the world’s second largest country, it’s a big place. The amount of space, open country and variety of landscapes is a large part of not just the country itself, but how the communities around Canada have developed.

With all that space though, the population is remarkably small, just 35 million people live in the 10 million square kilometers of land that make up Canada as a country. It’s that combination of huge space and relatively few people that make Canada such a unique place to be. The sense of belonging that Canadians get from being together within this vast expanse of land, the understanding of community, has also played into how the country works for everyone too.

As a result, Canada is viewed as a very good place to live, scoring highly compared to many other countries in the Better Life Index and other similar assessments. Education is a particular highlight, along with life expectancy and employment prospects, reflecting government policy focus. The national, universal healthcare system provides excellent medical support throughout life and is itself something many immigrants find incredibly attractive.