Ottawa

The city of Ottawa serves as the country's capital. The city is situated on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern region of southern Ontario, near the border between Canada and France. Ottawa shares its border with Gatineau, Quebec, and serves as the geographic centre of the Ottawa–Gatineau census metropolitan area (CMA) and the National Capital Region. Ottawa is the capital of Canada (NCR).  As of 2016, the city of Ottawa has a population of 934,243 people, making it the fourth-largest city in Canada, and a metropolitan population of 1,476,008, making it the fifth-largest census metropolitan area in the country. As of June 2019, the City of Ottawa projected that its population has topped one million residents.

The city of Ottawa, which was founded in 1826 as Bytown and established as Ottawa in 1855, has grown to become the political capital of Canada. Its initial limits were enlarged via a series of annexations and were eventually replaced by a new municipal incorporation and merger in 2001, which resulted in a major increase in the amount of land it could claim as its territory. When naming the city, the Ottawa River was taken into consideration, since the term "Ottawa" is derived from the Algonquin word "odawa," which translates as "to trade."

When comparing Canadian cities, Ottawa has the most educated population and is home to a diverse range of educational institutions, including the University of Ottawa as well as Carleton University and the National Arts Centre. The city also houses the National Gallery of Canada, as well as a number of national museums.