Canada occupies most of the northern half of the North American continent, but is inhabited by less than an eighth of the population of its southern neighbor, the United States. Far from being crowded, it can afford to expand. A member of the British Commonwealth, it enjoys an abundance of natural resources and a network of trade relationships that have assured it a high standard of living, exemplified by its system of social insurance and a 99% rate of literacy. For the future of Canada, the prospects look bright. Yet Canada suffers from the same problems of overexploitation and pollution being experienced today throughout the industrialized world, and its economy is inextricably linked to and dependent on the economies of its larger trading partners. While there is little poverty in its cities, Canada has a sizable population of indigenous peoples whose standard of living falls far below the average, and whose territorial rights are a matter of ongoing friction and dispute. The danger of division inherent in its historically bilingual culture is another of Canada's perpetual concerns.