Transcript The US and Canada Today - Fort Bend ISD / Homepage

ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
Both are Free Market: allow people the freedom to
own, operate, and profit from their own
businesses
Canada: government owns and administers many
services, broadcasting and health care
US: private companies own and operate
broadcasting and health care
Post-industrial economies: less emphasis on heavy
industry and traditional manufacturing
AGRICULTURE
Most farms are owned by farming families
US: 1 billion acres for livestock grazing and farming
Canada 167 million (less arable land)
2% Americans and 4% Canadians work in agriculture
US/Canada: beef, milk, eggs, corn, wheat, and other
grains
Corn belt – Ohio to Nebraska (perceptual region)
California – tomatoes, lettuce,peas,
asparagus, okra, avocados, grapes, and
strawberries
Florida – oranges
Idaho – potatoes
Hawaii - sugarcane, pineapples, and
bananas
MANUFACTURING
20% of the economy in both countries
Employs about 20 percent of the regions
workforce
SERVICE INDUSTRY
Largest area of growth in both US/Canada
Employs about 75%
Government, education, health care, tourism,
entertainment, banking, and real estate
High-tech equipment
California – Silicon Valley: 20 of the world’s 100
largest high-tech companies
Texas – more than 1,000 software companies in
Austin
N. Carolina – Research Triangle: Raleigh, Durham,
and Chapel Hill; biotechnology
AUTOMOBILE
Most popular means of personal transportation
Status symbol
US: 3,900,000 mi roads/hwys
Canada: 550,000 mi of roads/hwys
Trans-Canada Highway: Victoria, British
Columbia, to St. John’s, Newfoundland (4,860
mi)
PLANES, TRAINS, AND BUSES
Popular for long-distance travel
Passenger trains and buses account for a small
portion of travel
Railroads – transport about 35% of goods
Waterways – boats transport 15%
Trucks – transport about 20%
Planes – lg amount of overnight delivery
Pipelines – carry 25% of goods (oil and gas)
COMMUNICATION
Phone, internet, and mail are primary sources
of communication
Government owned in Canada
Privately owned in US (except for USPS)
TRADE & INTERDEPENDENCE
US: 2nd in the world in exports (10% of world’s
exports)
Chemicals, agricultural and manufactured
goods, raw materials (metals, iron ore, and
cotton)
US spends more on imports than we make on
exports = trade deficit
Canada earns more on exports than it spends on
imports = trade surplus
NAFTA
1994 pact: North America Free Trade Agreement
Canada, United States, and Mexico
Prohibits free flow of labor between countries
Removes trade restrictions
Outsourcing: setting up shop somewhere outside the US
because labor is cheaper = cheaper products and jobs for
foreign workers