You are here:Canada is the second largest country in the world after Russia. However, its population is only about one-fifth of the population of Russia. Nearly 90% of Canadians live within 200km of the border with the United States, which means that Canada contains vast expanses of wilderness to the north. The relationship to its powerful neighbour is a defining factor for Canada. The US and Canada have the largest trading relationship in the world. The United States of America (USA) is the worlds foremost economic and military power, with global interests and an unmatched global reach. Americas gross domestic product accounts for close to a quarter of the world total, and its military budget is reckoned to be almost as much as the rest of the worlds defence spending put together.