Canada is the second largest country in the world. The SAR mandate covers 18 million square kilometers of land and water, comprising more than 243,800 kilometers of coastline, three oceans, three million lakes. The SAR responsibilities also extend hundreds of miles out to sea for marine incidents. At the same time, the country is characterized by sparsely settled regions with limited infrastructure in the Northern area, topography with peaks exceeding 12,000 feet, and weather patterns reaching both extreme cold and heat. The combination of these factors makes the AOR one of the most challenging in the world. The military SAR force of Canada is amongst the best on the planet.