Canada

Canada is sometimes called "The Big Country" and at nearly 4 million square miles - over 40 times the size of the UK - the nickname could scarcely be more apt. The sheer immensity of Canada means that it is impossible to see it all in one visit, and many people return time and time again. From the rocky shores and beaches of the east coast, the historic British and French colonies of Toronto and Montreal, through the great plains of Alberta and Saskatchewan to the spectacular Rocky Mountains and the rugged Pacific coast, home to cosmopolitan Vancouver. British visitors to Canada will find it a beguiling mix of American and British culture, with many other nationalities also adding to the melting-pot - and that's just the immigrants: Canada's indigenous populations are also very much in evidence with strong identities of their own.