Canada aboriginal peoples are classed as First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and Non-Status or Independents.There are over 630 First Nation communities in Canada speaking more than 50 languages, divided into six cultural divisions in eight geographical locations.

First Nations is the current title used by Canada to describe the various societies of the indigenous peoples, called Native Americans or American Indians in the U.S. They have also been known as Indians, Native Canadians, Aboriginal Americans, or Aboriginals, and in fact are officially called Indians in the Indian Act, which defines the status of First Nations, and in the Indian Register, the official record of members of First Nations.

The First Nations people of Canada are made up of four main groups, excluding the Inuit in the North and Métis. The collective term for all three aboriginal groups is First Peoples. Each of these main groups contained many tribes, each of which had adapted to their environments which were all slightly different. The four main groups were subdivided by the following geographic areas:

The Pacific coast and mountains, The Plains, the St. Lawrence valley, and the North-East Woodlands (broad region, encompassing the woods near the Atlantic/maritimes to the tree-line in the Arctic).

The term is also used to designate bands of aboriginal people for whom reserves have been provided under the Canadian Indian Act. A representative body for Canadian First Nations is the Assembly of First Nations. National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations is Phil Fontaine from Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba.

The use of the word "Indian" in day-to-day language is erratic in Canada, with some seeing the term as offensive while some aboriginal people prefer it to alternate terminology such as "aboriginal."

Members of First Nations are known officially as registered Indians if they are entitled to benefits under the Indian Act; a more common term is status Indian (from treaty status), with non-status Indian designating a member of a First Nation who is not entitled to benefits. Non-Status Indians are also known as Independends or Traditionalists. All members of First Nations who are entitled to benefits are entered in the Indian Register.

Canada aboriginal peoples are classed as First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and Non-Status or Independents.There are over 630 First Nation communities in Canada speaking more than 50 languages, divided into six cultural divisions in eight geographical locations.

First Nations is the current title used by Canada to describe the various societies of the indigenous peoples, called Native Americans or American Indians in the U.S. They have also been known as Indians, Native Canadians, Aboriginal Americans, or Aboriginals, and in fact are officially called Indians in the Indian Act, which defines the status of First Nations, and in the Indian Register, the official record of members of First Nations.

The First Nations people of Canada are made up of four main groups, excluding the Inuit in the North and Métis. The collective term for all three aboriginal groups is First Peoples. Each of these main groups contained many tribes, each of which had adapted to their environments which were all slightly different. The four main groups were subdivided by the following geographic areas:

The Pacific coast and mountains, The Plains, the St. Lawrence valley, and the North-East Woodlands (broad region, encompassing the woods near the Atlantic/maritimes to the tree-line in the Arctic).

The term is also used to designate bands of aboriginal people for whom reserves have been provided under the Canadian Indian Act. A representative body for Canadian First Nations is the Assembly of First Nations. National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations is Phil Fontaine from Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba.

The use of the word "Indian" in day-to-day language is erratic in Canada, with some seeing the term as offensive while some aboriginal people prefer it to alternate terminology such as "aboriginal."

Members of First Nations are known officially as registered Indians if they are entitled to benefits under the Indian Act; a more common term is status Indian (from treaty status), with non-status Indian designating a member of a First Nation who is not entitled to benefits. Non-Status Indians are also known as Independends or Traditionalists. All members of First Nations who are entitled to benefits are entered in the Indian Register.