Java Enum: Canadian Provinces with Province Codes
When working with Canadian addresses in Java applications, representing provinces as an enum ensures type safety and consistency. Below is an example of a Java enum that includes both the province name and its official two-letter postal code.
java
public enum Province {
ALBERTA("AB"),
BRITISH_COLUMBIA("BC"),
MANITOBA("MB"),
NEW_BRUNSWICK("NB"),
NEWFOUNDLAND_AND_LABRADOR("NL"),
NORTHWEST_TERRITORIES("NT"),
NOVA_SCOTIA("NS"),
NUNAVUT("NU"),
ONTARIO("ON"),
PRINCE_EDWARD_ISLAND("PE"),
QUEBEC("QC"),
SASKATCHEWAN("SK"),
YUKON("YT");
private final String code;
Province(String code) {
this.code = code;
}
public String getCode() {
return code;
}
}
Usage Example:
java
Province province = Province.ONTARIO;
System.out.println(province.getCode()); // Outputs: ON
This approach simplifies validation and integration with dropdowns, forms, or APIs requiring province information.
SQL Version: Canadian Provinces Table and Data
To store province data in a database, you can create a provinces table with name and code columns. Here’s the SQL schema and insert statements:
sql
CREATE TABLE provinces (
id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
name VARCHAR(64) NOT NULL,
code CHAR(2) NOT NULL UNIQUE
);
Insert Statements:
sql
INSERT INTO provinces (name, code) VALUES
('Alberta', 'AB'),
('British Columbia', 'BC'),
('Manitoba', 'MB'),
('New Brunswick', 'NB'),
('Newfoundland and Labrador', 'NL'),
('Northwest Territories', 'NT'),
('Nova Scotia', 'NS'),
('Nunavut', 'NU'),
('Ontario', 'ON'),
('Prince Edward Island', 'PE'),
('Quebec', 'QC'),
('Saskatchewan', 'SK'),
('Yukon', 'YT');
This structure supports dropdowns, relational integrity (via foreign keys), and filtering in your backend services.
Summary
Using an enum in Java for Canadian provinces with codes ensures code safety, while the SQL version allows persistence and use in web or enterprise applications. Together, they form a solid foundation for address handling in Canadian software systems.