FAQs about the United States and Canada

The U.S.-Canada border is the longest international land border in the world. Spanning more than 5,525 miles, the border runs through the middle of the world’s largest lakes as well as on land. It allows millions of people to cross the border every year. Some cross at official border crossings while others take advantage of tunnels and bridges that lead to other cities and towns in both countries.
The fact that Canada is the larger country is well known. However, what most people do not know is that there are many, many differences between the two countries. The most notable difference is the number of people that live in the United States as opposed to Canada. There are millions more people living in the States than there are living in Canada.
No. For travel by air a valid U.S. passport is required for entry into Canada. Information on additional requirements for land and sea travel to Canada can be found on the Entry Requirements for Visitors to Canada page before you leave for your trip.
The US and Canada are both constitutional monarchies. They are both multi-party systems. The principal difference is that the United States is a constitutional republic with a presidential system of government, whereas Canada is a parliamentary system. This means that geographically vast Canada has a relatively small population in comparison to the US. Officially Canada is a bilingual country (English and French). In addition, all Canadian citizens and many residents receive health care through a publicly funded, universal system. In contrast, the majority of the population of the United States receives health care through the private sector, with a large percentage of the population being uninsured.
Other very busy borders include the Ambassador Bridge which connects the United States at Detroit and Canada at Windsor, the Peace Bridge which connects the United States at Buffalo and Canada at Fort Erie, the Rainbow Bridge which connects the United States at Niagara Falls and Canada at Niagara Falls, the Blue Water Bridge which connects the United States at Port Huron and Canada at Sarnia, and the Pacific Highway Crossing which connects the United States at Blaine and Canada at Surrey.
The U.S. and Canada are each other’s largest trading partner, conducting over $100 billion worth of trade each year in the form of goods and services to be sold to consumers. This trade includes automobiles, energy, machinery to name a few, as well as a number of agricultural products. The trade between the two countries is governed by the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) which went into effect in January 2020.