Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital city of Canada.

It sits in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. The city is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. This location makes it a central part of the National Capital Region. It also borders Gatineau, Quebec. As the political center of the nation, Ottawa serves as the headquarters for the federal government. It houses the Parliament of Canada and the Supreme Court. The city also contains the residence of the viceroy and the Office of the Prime Minister. Many foreign embassies are located here as well.

The area has a very deep history. The Ottawa Valley became habitable around 10,000 years ago. This happened after the natural draining of the Champlain Sea.

Early human presence is evidenced by spearpoints dated 8,000 to 8,500 years before the present. By 6,000 years ago, robust trading and communication networks existed. The Algonquin people established continuous settlements in the region. They engaged in foraging, hunting, fishing, and trade. The name "Ottawa" comes from the Algonquin word meaning "to trade."

The three major rivers meeting here made it a vital travel hub for thousands of years.

European exploration changed the region in the 17th century. Étienne Brûlé was the first documented European to navigate the Ottawa River in 1610. Later, Philemon Wright founded a lumber town in 1800. He created an agricultural community called Wright's Town, which later became Gatineau. The timber trade became the most significant economic activity in the valley. In the 1820s, the British military planned the construction of the Rideau Canal. This canal provided a secure route between Montreal and Kingston. It bypassed the St. Lawrence River, which was vulnerable to enemy fire during the War of 1812.

The construction of the canal led to the birth of a new settlement. Colonel John By was the British military engineer responsible for the Rideau Waterway project.

A town was established in 1826 and named Bytown in 1827 after the Colonel. He set up military barracks on the site of present-day Parliament Hill. He also organized the town into two neighborhoods. "Upper Town" was west of the canal and was mostly English-speaking and Protestant. "Lower Town" was east of the canal and was mostly French, Irish, and Catholic. Bytown grew to 1,000 people by the time the canal was completed in 1832.

Choosing a permanent capital for Canada was a long and difficult process. For decades, the parliament held over 200 votes to decide on a location. There was much political dissension and even riots, such as the Stony Monday Riot in 1849. Some cities suggested a system called perambulation, where the legislature would alternate between Quebec City and Toronto. This proved to be logistically difficult and unpopular. Eventually, the legislature asked the Queen to decide. In 1857, Queen Victoria selected Ottawa as the capital.

She chose it because its location on a cliff face was defensible. It was also a political compromise between Canada West and Canada East.

Ottawa underwent significant changes as it grew into a modern city. Bytown was incorporated as a town in 1850. It was renamed Ottawa and given city status in 1855. During the late 19th century, lumber barons built massive sawmills. These mills produced millions of board feet of timber. By 1885, Ottawa was the only Canadian city with downtown street-lights powered entirely by electricity. The city also expanded its reach through rail lines. These lines connected Ottawa to the transcontinental rail network by 1886.

Today, Ottawa is a major center for education and culture. It has the highest proportion of university-educated residents of any Canadian city. The city is home to several major institutions. These include the University of Ottawa, Carleton University, and Algonquin College.

It also hosts the National Arts Centre and the National Gallery of Canada. The city has a high standard of living. It attracts over 11 million visitors annually. This includes more than 6 million vacationers.

The city's population is quite large. The city population is 1,017,449, while the metropolitan population is 1,488,307. This makes it the fourth-largest metropolitan area in Canada.