   #copyright

Ottawa

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: North American Geography

   City of Ottawa/Ville d'Ottawa

               Official flag of City of Ottawa/Ville d'Ottawa
                                    Flag

               Official seal of City of Ottawa/Ville d'Ottawa
                                    Seal

   Motto: Advance Ottawa/Ottawa en avant
   Coordinates: 45°25′15″N, 75°41′24″W
   Country Canada
   Province Ontario
   County
   Established 1850 as Bytown
   City Mayor Larry O'Brien
   Governing body Ottawa City Council
   MPs / MPPs
   Members of Parliament (MPs) Mauril Bélanger ( LPC), Paul Dewar ( NDP),
   John Baird ( CPC), Royal Galipeau ( CPC), David McGuinty ( LPC), Pierre
   Lemieux ( CPC), Gordon O'Connor ( CPC), Pierre Poilievre ( CPC)
   Senators Mac Harb ( LPC), Colin Kenny ( LPC), Wilbert Keon ( CPC),
   Marjory LeBreton ( CPC), Jim Munson ( LPC), Michael Pitfield (Ind.)
   Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) Lisa MacLeod ( PC), Jean-Marc
   Lalonde ( OLP), Dalton McGuinty ( OLP), Phil McNeely ( OLP), Madeleine
   Meilleur ( OLP), Richard Patten ( OLP), Norm Sterling ( PC), Jim Watson
   ( OLP)
   Area
    - City 2,778.64 km²  (1,072.9  sq mi)
   Elevation 80 m  (262 ft)
   Population
    - City (2005) 859,704 (estimated)
    - Density 278.6/km² (721.6/sq mi)
    - Metro 1,146,790
     4th Largest city in Canada
   Time zone Eastern (EST) ( UTC-5)
   Postal code span K0A, K1A-K4C
   Website: http://www.ottawa.ca

   Ottawa is the capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest city,
   as well as the second largest city in the province of Ontario after the
   provincial capital of Toronto. It is located in the Ottawa Valley on
   the eastern edge of the province of Ontario, 400 kilometres (250  mi)
   east of Toronto and 190 kilometres (120 mi) west of Montreal. Ottawa
   lies on the banks of the Ottawa River, a major waterway that forms the
   border between Ontario and Quebec.

   There is no federal capital district in Canada; Ottawa is a
   municipality within the Province of Ontario. Although it does not
   constitute a separate administrative district, Ottawa is part of the
   officially-designated National Capital Region, which includes the
   neighbouring Quebec municipality of Gatineau.

   In 2005 the population of Ottawa was estimated at 859,704, while the
   population of the larger Census Metropolitan Area was estimated at
   1,148,785. From Ottawa to Montreal, in the Montreal-Ottawa Corridor,
   there reside about 5.7 million people. Ottawa has a significant
   francophone population, and under city government policy, all municipal
   services are available in both English and French.

   The current mayor of Ottawa is Larry O'Brien, who succeeded Bob
   Chiarelli at a ceremony held on December 1, 2006.

   As with other national capitals, the word "Ottawa" is also used to
   refer by metonymy to the country's federal government, especially as
   opposed to provincial or municipal authorities.

History

   The Ottawa region was long home to First Nations peoples who were part
   of the Algonquin. The Algonquin called the river the Kichi Sibi or
   Kichissippi, meaning "Great River". The first European settlement in
   the region was that of Philemon Wright who started a community on the
   Quebec side of the river in 1800. Wright discovered that transporting
   timber by river from the Ottawa Valley to Montreal was possible, and
   the area was soon booming based almost entirely off timber.

   In the years following the War of 1812, in addition to settling some
   military regiment families, the government began sponsored immigration
   schemes which brought over Irish Catholics and Protestants to settle
   the Ottawa area, which began a steady stream of Irish immigration there
   in the next few decades. Along with French Canadians who crossed over
   from Quebec, these two groups provided the bulk of labourers involved
   in the Rideau Canal project and the booming timber trade, both
   instrumental in putting Ottawa on the map.

   The region's population grew significantly when the canal was completed
   and constructed by Colonel John By in 1832. It was intended to provide
   a secure route between Montreal and Kingston on Lake Ontario,
   by-passing the stretch of the St. Lawrence River bordering New York
   State (with the 1812 conflict with the U.S.A. being in recent memory).
   Construction of the canal began at the northern end, where Colonel By
   set up a military barracks on what later became Parliament Hill, and
   laid out a townsite that soon became known as Bytown. Original city
   leaders of Bytown include a number of Wright's sons, most notably
   Ruggles Wright. Nicholas Sparks, Braddish Billings and Abraham Dow were
   the first to settle on the Ontario side of the Ottawa river.

   The west side of the canal became known as "Uppertown" where the
   Parliament buildings are located, while the east side of the canal
   (wedged between the canal and Rideau River) was known as the
   "Lowertown". At that time, Lowertown was a crowded, boisterous shanty
   town, frequently receiving the worst of disease epidemics, such as the
   Cholera outbreak in 1832, and typhus in 1847.

   Ottawa became the centre for lumber milling and square-cut timber
   industry in Canada and, in fact, for North America as a whole. From
   there, it quickly expanded further up (or westward along) the Ottawa
   River, and logs were boomed by raftsmen great distances down the river
   to the mills. Bytown was renamed Ottawa in 1855.
   The Westin
   Enlarge
   The Westin

   On December 31, 1857, Queen Victoria was asked to choose a common
   capital for the then province of Canada (modern Quebec and Ontario) and
   chose Ottawa. There are old folk tales about how she made the choice:
   that she did so by sticking her hatpin on a map roughly halfway between
   Toronto and Montreal, or that she liked watercolours she had seen of
   the area. While such stories have no historical basis, they do
   illustrate how arbitrary the choice of Ottawa seemed to Canadians at
   the time. While Ottawa is now a major metropolis and Canada's fourth
   largest city, at the time it was a sometimes unruly logging town in the
   hinterland, far away from the colony's main cities, Quebec City and
   Montreal in Canada East, and Kingston and Toronto in Canada West.

   In fact, the Queen's advisors had her pick Ottawa for three important
   reasons: first, it was the only settlement of any significant size
   located right on the border of Canada East and Canada West
   (Quebec/Ontario border today), making it a compromise between the two
   colonies and their French and English populations; second, the War of
   1812 had shown how vulnerable the major cities were to American attack,
   since they were all located very close to the border while Ottawa was
   (then) surrounded by a dense forest far from the border; third, the
   government owned a large parcel of land on a spectacular spot
   overlooking the Ottawa River. Ottawa's position in the back country
   made it more defensible, while still allowing easy transportation via
   the Ottawa River to Canada East, and the Rideau Canal to Canada West.
   Two other considerations were that Ottawa was at a point nearly exactly
   midway between Toronto and Quebec City (~500 km/310 mi) and that the
   small size of the town made it less likely that politically motivated
   mobs could go on a rampage and destroy government buildings, as had
   been the case in the previous Canadian capitals.

   The original Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa was
   destroyed by fire on February 3, 1916. The House of Commons and Senate
   were temporarily relocated to the recently constructed Victoria
   Memorial Museum, currently the Canadian Museum of Nature, located about
   1 km south of Parliament Hill on Metcalfe Street. A new Centre Block
   was completed in 1922, the centrepiece of which is a dominant Gothic
   revival styled structure known as the Peace Tower which has become a
   common emblem of the city.
   Ottawa
   Enlarge
   Ottawa
   The National War Memorial, in Confederation Square.
   Enlarge
   The National War Memorial, in Confederation Square.

   On September 5, 1945, only weeks after the end of World War II, Ottawa
   was the site of the event that many people consider to be the official
   start of the Cold War. A Soviet cipher clerk, Igor Gouzenko, defected
   from the Soviet embassy with over 100 secret documents. At first, the
   Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) refused to take the documents,
   since the Soviets were still allies of Canada and Britain, and the
   newspapers were not interested in the story. After hiding out for a
   night in a neighbour's apartment, listening to his own home being
   searched, Gouzenko finally persuaded the RCMP to look at his evidence,
   which provided proof of a massive Soviet spy network operating in
   western countries, and, indirectly, led to the discovery that the
   Soviets were working on an atomic bomb to match that of the Americans.

   In 2001, the old city of Ottawa (estimated 2005 population 350,000) was
   amalgamated with the suburbs of Nepean (135,000), Kanata (56,000),
   Gloucester (120,000), Rockcliffe Park (2,100), Vanier (17,000) and
   Cumberland (55,000), and the rural townships of West Carleton (18,000),
   Osgoode (13,000), Rideau (18,000) and Goulbourn (24,000), along with
   the systems and infrastructure of the Regional Municipality of
   Ottawa-Carleton, to become one municipality. Ottawa-Carleton used to be
   just Carleton County before 1969 and consisted of what is now the City
   of Ottawa except for Cumberland.

Geography and climate

   The Parliament Buildings, shown here, are Ottawa's most famous
   landmark.
   Enlarge
   The Parliament Buildings, shown here, are Ottawa's most famous
   landmark.
   Map of Ottawa showing urban area, highways, waterways, and historic
   townships
   Enlarge
   Map of Ottawa showing urban area, highways, waterways, and historic
   townships

   Ottawa is situated on the south bank of the Ottawa River, and contains
   the mouths of the Rideau River and Rideau Canal. The oldest part of the
   city (including what remains of Bytown) is known as Lower Town and
   occupies an area between the canal and the rivers. Across the canal to
   the west lies Centretown (often just called "downtown"), which is the
   city's financial and commercial hub. Between here and the Ottawa River,
   the slight elevation of Parliament Hill is home to many of the
   capital's landmark government buildings, and is the Legislative seat of
   Canada.

   The City of Ottawa includes many urban areas. The main one extends a
   considerable distance to the east, west and south of the centre, and
   includes the former cities of Gloucester, Nepean and Vanier, the former
   village of Rockcliffe Park and the suburban communities of Manotick and
   Orléans. In addition to the main urban area, there is the Kanata urban
   area consisting of the urbanized part of the former city of Kanata and
   the former village of Stittsville (pop. 70,320). There are also a
   number of satellite towns and rural communities that are also urban
   areas (urban fringes) that lie beyond the greenbelt but are
   administratively part of the Ottawa municipality. These are Constance
   Bay (pop. 2,327); Kars (pop. 1,539); Metcalfe (pop. 1,610); Munster
   (pop. 1,390); Osgoode (pop. 2,571); and Richmond (pop. 3,287).

   Across the Ottawa River, which forms the border between Ontario and
   Quebec, lies the city of Gatineau. Although formally and
   administratively separate cities in two separate provinces, Ottawa and
   Gatineau (along with a number of nearby municipalities) collectively
   constitute the National Capital Region, with a combined population
   exceeding one million residents, and the area is considered a single
   metropolitan area. One federal crown corporation (the National Capital
   Commission, or NCC) has significant land holdings in both cities -
   including sites of historical and touristic importance. The NCC,
   through its responsibility for planning and development of these lands,
   is an important contributor to both cities.

   Around the main urban area is an extensive greenbelt, administered by
   the National Capital Commission for conservation and leisure, and
   comprising mostly forest, farmland and marshland.

   Ottawa itself is a single-tiered city, meaning it is in itself a census
   division and has no county or regional municipality government above
   it. Ottawa is bounded on the east by the United Counties of Prescott
   and Russell; by Renfrew County and Lanark County in the west; on the
   south by the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville and the United
   Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry; and on the north by the
   Regional County Municipality of Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais and the
   City of Gatineau.

   Ottawa is made up of eleven historic townships, ten of which are from
   historic Carleton County and one from historic Russell. They are
   Cumberland, Fitzroy, Gloucester, Goulbourn, Huntley, March,
   Marlborough, Nepean, North Gower, Osgoode and Torbolton.
   The Supreme Court of Canada viewed from Parliament Hill
   Enlarge
   The Supreme Court of Canada viewed from Parliament Hill

Climate

   Ottawa has a range of temperatures from a record high of 37.8 ° Celsius
   (100 ° F) in the summers of 1986 and 2001, to a record low of -36.1 °C
   (-33 °F) being recorded in the winter of 1943, the second coldest
   temperature recorded in a capital city (after Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia).
   This extreme range in temperature allows Ottawa to boast a variety of
   annual activities, and the requirement of a wide range of clothing. By
   annual average temperature, Ottawa is the seventh coldest capital in
   the world, however by mean January temperature, Ottawa ranks third
   behind Ulaan-baatar in Mongolia and Astana, Kazakstan.

   Snow and ice are dominant during the winter season. Ottawa receives
   about 235 centimetres (93  in) of snowfall annually. Its biggest
   snowfall was recorded on March 4, 1947 with nearly 2.5 feet of snow
   (73 cm). Average January temperature is -10.8 °C (13 °F), although days
   well above freezing and nights below -25 °C (-13 °F) both occur in the
   winter. The snow season is quite variable; in an average winter, a
   lasting snow cover is on the ground from late November until early
   April, although some years are snow-free until around or beyond
   Christmas. High wind chills are common, with annual averages of 51, 14
   and 1 days with wind chills below -20 °C (-4 °F), -30 °C (-22 °F) and
   -40 °C (-40 °F) respectively. The lowest recorded wind chill was of
   -47.8 °C (-54.0 °F) on January 8, 1968.

   Freezing rain is also relatively common, even relative to other parts
   of the country. One such large storm caused power outages and affected
   the local economy, and came to be known as the 1998 Ice Storm.

   Summers are fairly warm and humid in Ottawa, although they are
   typically short in length. The average July maximum temperature is
   26.5 °C (80 °F), although temperatures of 30 °C (86 °F) or higher occur
   frequently. A maximum temperature of 39.5 °C (103 °F) was recorded in
   the summer of 2005 at certain locations. During periods of hot weather,
   high humidity is often an aggravating factor, especially close to the
   rivers. Ottawa annually averages 41, 12 and 2 days with humidex
   readings above 30 °C (86 °F), 35 °C (95 °F) and 40 °C (104 °F)
   respectively. The highest recorded humidex was 48 °C (118 °F) on August
   1, 2006.

   Spring and fall are variable, prone to extremes in temperature and
   unpredictable swings in conditions. Hot days above 30 °C (86 °F) have
   occurred as early as April or as late as October, as well as snow well
   into May and early in October (although such events are unusual and
   brief). Average annual precipitation averages around 943 millimetres
   (37 in.). The biggest one-day rainfall occurred on September 9, 2004
   when the remnants of Hurricane Frances dumped nearly 136 mm (5½ inches)
   of rain in the city. There are about 2,060 hours of average sunshine
   annually (47% of possible).

   Destructive summer weather events such as tornadoes, major flash
   floods, extreme heat waves, severe hail and remnant effects from
   hurricanes are rare, but all have occurred before. Some of the most
   notable tornadoes in the region occurred in 1978 (F2), 1994 (F3, see
   Aylmer, Quebec) and 1999 (F1). On January 1, 2000, an earthquake
   measuring 5.2 on the Richter Scale struck Ottawa. However, it is very
   unlikely that F4 or F5 tornadoes like in the U.S. Plain States will
   occur since it is located much farther away from the interaction of the
   airmass from both the Gulf of Mexico and the Rockies, which can produce
   strong to violent tornadoes further south.
   View of Ottawa River from Ontario at night
   Enlarge
   View of Ottawa River from Ontario at night

   On February 24, 2006, an earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter Scale
   struck Ottawa. On average, a small tremor occurs in Ottawa every three
   years.

Transportation

   The O-Train, Ottawa's light rail train system
   Enlarge
   The O-Train, Ottawa's light rail train system

   Ottawa is served by VIA Rail passenger service, a number of airlines
   that fly into Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, and
   inter-city bus companies such as Greyhound through the Ottawa Bus
   Central Station.

   The capital city of Canada is also served by a network of freeways, the
   main one being provincial Highway 417 (called The Queensway),
   Ottawa-Carleton Regional Road 174 (Formerly Provincial Highway 17), and
   the newly constructed Highway 416 (Veterans' Memorial Highway),
   connecting Ottawa to the rest of the 400-Series Highway network in
   Ontario. Highway 417 is also the Ottawa portion of the Trans-Canada
   Highway. The city also has a few Scenic Parkways (Promenades), such as
   the Ottawa River Parkway, and has a freeway connection to Quebec
   Autoroute 5, in Hull. For a complete listing of the parkways and roads
   in Ottawa, see the List of Ottawa roads.

   Ottawa's main mass transit service is OC Transpo (provided by the City
   of Ottawa). The Ottawa rapid transit system includes the Transitway (a
   network of mostly grade-separated, extremely high-frequency, reserved
   bus rapid transit lanes with full stations instead of stops) and a
   light rail system called the O-Train (A new light rail system is being
   considered for connecting the north-south and the east-west sections of
   the city). Both OC Transpo and the Quebec-based Société de transport de
   l'Outaouais (STO) operate bus services between Ottawa and Gatineau. A
   transfer or bus pass of one is accepted on the other without having to
   pay a top-up fare on regular routes.

   The Rideau Canal, which starts in Kingston, Ontario, winds its way
   through the city. The final flight of locks on the canal are between
   Parliament Hill and the Château Laurier. Also, during the winter season
   the canal is usually open and is a form of transportation downtown for
   about 7.8 kilometres (4.8  mi) for ice skaters (from a point near
   Carleton University to the Rideau Centre) and forms the world's longest
   skating rink.

   There is a large network of paved multi-use pathways that wind their
   way through much of the city, including along the Ottawa River, Rideau
   River, and Rideau Canal. These pathways are used for transportation,
   tourism, and recreation. Because most streets either have wide curb
   lanes or bicycle lanes, cycling is a popular mode of transportation in
   the region throughout the year.

   Ottawa sits at the confluence of three major rivers: the Ottawa River,
   the Gatineau River and the Rideau River. The Ottawa and Gatineau rivers
   were historically important in the logging and lumber industries, and
   the Rideau as part of the Rideau Canal system connecting the Great
   Lakes and Saint Lawrence River with the Ottawa River.

Landmarks and notable institutions

   The Château Laurier in downtown Ottawa.
   Enlarge
   The Château Laurier in downtown Ottawa.

   Ottawa is home to a wealth of national museums, official residences,
   government buildings, memorials and heritage structures. Among the most
   notable:
     * The Parliament Buildings, where Canada's government resides
     * 24 Sussex Drive, the home of the Prime Minister of Canada
     * Rideau Hall, the home of the Governor-General of Canada
     * The National Gallery of Canada
     * The Canadian War Museum
     * The Canada Science and Technology Museum
     * The Canada Aviation Museum
     * The Canadian Museum of Nature
     * The Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography
     * The Canadian Museum of Civilization, across the Ottawa River in
       Gatineau, Quebec.
     * The National War Memorial
     * The Valiants Monument
     * The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
     * The Peacekeeping Monument
     * The Canadian Tribute to Human Rights
     * The Chateau Laurier, Ottawa's only Fairmont Hotel

   The glass façade of Canada's National Gallery.
   Enlarge
   The glass façade of Canada's National Gallery.

   Federal buildings in the National Capital Region are managed by the
   Public Works Canada, while most of the federal lands in the Region are
   managed by the National Capital Commission or NCC; its control of much
   undeveloped land gives the NCC a great deal of influence over the
   city's development.

Primary industries

   Ottawa's primary employers are the Canadian federal government and the
   hi-tech industry. Because major companies have offices in the city it
   has become known as "Silicon Valley North."

Sports

   Ottawa is home to one major league sports team, the Ottawa Senators ice
   hockey team (established 1992) of the National Hockey League. The
   Ottawa Renegades (established 2002 - suspended operations 2006)
   football team of the Canadian Football League. The Senators play at
   Scotiabank Place and the Renegades played at Frank Clair Stadium.

   Ottawa was also home to a minor league baseball team, the AAA farm team
   of the Baltimore Orioles, the Ottawa Lynx of the International League
   prior to the 2006 sale of the team. Following its acquisition, the team
   has been affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies, as their AAA
   affiliate, and the Lynx will be renamed on November 16, 2006. Under the
   terms of the sale, the Lynx will leave Ottawa following the 2007 season
   and begin play at Allentown's new Lehigh County Ballpark beginning in
   April 2008.
   Scotiabank Place, where the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey
   League play.
   Enlarge
   Scotiabank Place, where the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey
   League play.

   Ottawa also has a major junior ice hockey team, the Ottawa 67's of the
   Ontario Hockey League. Ottawa's two major universities, Carleton
   University and the University of Ottawa both have athletic
   associations; the team names are the Carleton Ravens and the Ottawa Gee
   Gees respectively. Ottawa's top soccer team is the Ottawa Fury who play
   in the women's W-League and the men's USL Premier Development League.
   Harness and Horse racing can be found at Rideau Carleton Raceway off
   Albion Road and Auto racing can be found at the Capital City Speedway
   off Highway 7. Ottawa also has a professional women's hockey team, the
   Ottawa Raiders. Ottawa will be hosting the 2009 World Junior Hockey
   Championship .

   The city also supports many casual sporting activities, such as skating
   on the Rideau Canal or curling in winter, cycling and jogging along the
   Ottawa River, Rideau Canal, and Rideau River in summer, playing
   Ultimate all year round (especially through the O.C.U.A.), skiing and
   hiking in the Greenbelt and the nearby Gatineau Park, and sailing on
   Lac Deschenes, part of the Ottawa River or golfing on many of the golf
   courses in the Ottawa area. During the coldest parts of winter there is
   ice fishing on the Ottawa river. Ottawa has many cricket clubs for
   people of all ages.

Sports teams

   Club League Venue Established Championships
   Ottawa Senators NHL ice hockey Scotiabank Place 1918-34, 1992
   1 ( President's Trophy)
   10 ( Stanley Cup)
   Ottawa Lynx IL AAA baseball Lynx Stadium 1993 1
   Ottawa Gee Gees CIS various University of Ottawa 1848 2 (Canadian
   football)
   Carleton Ravens CIS various Carleton University 1942 4 (basketball)
   Ottawa 67's OHL ice hockey Ottawa Civic Centre 1967 3 (OHL)
   2 ( Memorial Cups)
   Ottawa Raiders NWHL ice hockey Sandy Hill Arena 1999 0
   Ottawa Fury W-League and
   USL PDL Football (soccer) Keith Harris Stadium 2003 0
   Ottawa Harlequins Rugby Canada Super League ( Rugby League) Twin Elm
   Rugby Park 1999 0

Politics

   Sunset at Parliament Hill.
   Enlarge
   Sunset at Parliament Hill.

   In addition to being the capital of Canada, Ottawa is politically
   diverse with regard to local politics. Most of the city traditionally
   supports the Liberal Party, although only some parts of the city are
   consistent Liberal strongholds. Perhaps the safest areas for the
   Liberals are the ones dominated by francophones, especially in Vanier
   and central Gloucester. Central Ottawa is usually more left-leaning,
   and the New Democratic Party can win ridings there as government unions
   and activist groups are fairly strong. Some of Ottawa's suburbs are
   swing areas, notably central Nepean and, despite its francophone
   population, Orléans. The southern and western parts of the old city of
   Ottawa are generally moderate or slightly left of centre but
   periodically swing to the Conservative Party. The farther one goes from
   the city centre - into suburban fringes like Kanata and Barrhaven and
   rural areas - the voters tend to be increasingly conservative, both
   fiscally and socially. This is especially true in the former Townships
   of West Carleton, Goulbourn, Rideau and Osgoode, which are more in line
   with the staunchly conservative areas in the surrounding counties.
   However not all rural areas support the Conservative Party. Rural parts
   of the former township of Cumberland, with a large number of
   francophones, traditionally support the Liberal Party, though their
   support has recently weakened.

   Ottawa became the legislative capital of the Northwest Territories when
   it reverted to 1870 constitutional status, after Alberta, and
   Saskatchewan were carved out in 1905. From 1905 to 1951 almost all of
   the council members were civil servants living in Ottawa. From 1951 to
   1967 the territory alternated legislative sessions with various
   Northwest Territories communities. Ottawa only held legislative
   sessions of the council. Fort Smith, Northwest Territories became the
   administrative centre and officially housed the civil service from 1911
   to 1967.

Demographics

   According to 2001 census data, there were 774,072 people, 310,132
   households, and 210,875 families residing in the city. The population
   density was 278.6 people per square kilometre (721.6/ sq mi).

   Ottawa has the second lowest crime rate in Ontario.
   City of Ottawa - Demographics (from 2001 Census)
   Population 774,072 (Ottawa-Gatineau metropolitan area 1,063,664)
   Age structure 0-14 years: 18.9%
   15-64 years: 69.6%
   65+ years: 11.5%
   Median age: Total: 36.7 years
   Male: 35.7 years
   Female: 37.6 years
   Population growth rate: 1.3%
   Birth rate: 12.4 births / 1,000 population
   Death rate: 6 deaths / 1,000 population
   Net migration rate: 6.6 migrant(s) / 1,000 population
   Total fertility rate: 1.79 children born / woman
   HIV/AIDS People living with HIV/AIDS: 2,600
   Adult prevalence rate:0.3%
   Name: Noun: Ottawan(s)
   Adjective: Ottawan or Ottawa
   Citizenship: Canadian: 93.5%
   Other: 6.5%
   Immigration Status: Non-immigrant: 77.1%
   Ontario-born: 56.6%
   Other Canadian: 20.5%
   Immigrant: 21.8%
   Ethnic Origin
   (Total adds to greater than 100% due to multiple responses) Canadian
   34.7%
   English 23.5%
   French 21.2%
   Irish 20.9%
   Scottish 18.2%
   German 7.3%
   Italian 4.4%
   Chinese 4.0%
   Polish 2.8%
   Dutch 2.6%
   Aboriginal: 1.1%
   Other: 30.9%
   Religions: Christian 74.7%
   Muslim 5.2%
   Jewish 1.5%
   Buddhist 1.2%
   Hindu 1.1%
   Sikh 0.3%
   Other 0.4%
   15.7% No religious affiliation
   First Languages: English 63.6%
   French 15.1%
   Both English and French 0.9%
   Other 20.3%

Family and age

   According to the census, there were 210,875 families, of which 72.8%
   were married couples living together, 11.1% were common-law couples,
   and 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present.

   The age profile of the city is spread out: 25.3% were under the age of
   19, 6.9% from 20 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and
   11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.7 years.
   For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age
   18 and over, there were 92.1 males.

   The median income for a working individual in the city was $39,713, and
   the median income for a family was $73,507. Males had a median income
   of $47,203 versus $31,641 for females. The per capita income for the
   city was $23,061.
                        Old city of Ottawa New city of Ottawa
   Population (2001)    337,031            774,072
   Population (1996)    323,340            721,136
   % Change (1996-2001) 4.2                7.3
   Private Dwellings    155,536            310,132
   Density (per km²)    3059.7             278.6
   Density (per sq mi)  7922.8             721.6
   Land area (km²)      110.15             2,778.64
   Land area (sq mi)    42.5               1072.8
   Map of Ottawa showing the francophone concentrations
   Enlarge
   Map of Ottawa showing the francophone concentrations

Education

     * Algonquin College
     * Carleton University
     * La Cité Collégiale
     * Saint Paul University
     * University of Ottawa

Items of interest

   Parliament Hill from the Mackenzie King Bridge
   Enlarge
   Parliament Hill from the Mackenzie King Bridge
   The Rideau Canal serves as a waterway in summer and a skating rink in
   winter.
   Enlarge
   The Rideau Canal serves as a waterway in summer and a skating rink in
   winter.
   One of many tulips found along the side of Dow's Lake during the Tulip
   Festival (Ottawa).
   Enlarge
   One of many tulips found along the side of Dow's Lake during the Tulip
   Festival (Ottawa).
     * The National Research Council of Canada's shortwave time signal
       station, CHU, is located in Ottawa.
     * The Ottawa ankle rules were developed in, and named after the city.
     * List of attractions in Ottawa
     * List of Ottawa cinemas

Community organizations and clubs

     * Ottawa Curling Club
     * Ottawa Flying Club
     * Ottawa Horticultural Society
     * Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club
     * RA Photo Club
     * Rideau Canoe Club

Events

     * [ The Ottawa Lumière Festival ] is an annual festival that
       celebrates the magic and beauty of light! Funky costumes, beautiful
       hand made lanterns & over 100 performers fill the lovely Stanley
       Park, in Ottawa.
     * Capital Pride is an annual festival celebrating the GLBT community
       in both Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec.
     * Canada Dance Festival
     * Carnival of Cultures
     * CKCU Ottawa Folk Festival
     * Ottawa Dragon Boat Race Festival
     * Ottawa Fringe Festival
     * Ottawa International Children's Festival
     * Ottawa International Hockey Festival
     * Winterlude is an annual winter carnival held each year in February.
       It is focused on the Rideau Canal.
     * Tulip Festival: each May Ottawa receives a gift of several hundred
       thousand tulips from the royal family of the Netherlands. The
       festival takes place in various locations throughout the city.
     * Canada Day is one of Ottawa's most important holidays and people
       from across the nation visit to celebrate the nation's birthday.
     * Ottawa SuperEX is an eleven-day exhibition with entertainment and
       amusements that takes place every August.
     * HOPE Volleyball Summerfest is the world's largest volleyball
       tournament with more than 25,000 players and spectators attending a
       gigantic beach party with funds going to local charities.
     * Ottawa Chamber Music Festival is the world's largest festival of
       chamber music, held annually.
     * Ottawa Bluesfest is an annual outdoor music festival, dubbed the
       largest blues festival in Canada.
     * Ottawa Jazz Festival is an annual outdoor music festival
       highlighting local, national and international jazz musicians.
     * Ottawa International Animation Festival is an annual international
       animation festival featuring works of the film makers from all over
       the world.
     * The August Ontario civic holiday which is called Simcoe Day in
       Toronto and Peter Robinson Day in Peterborough is named Colonel By
       Day in Ottawa.
     * Westfest

Motto

   "Advance" is the motto of the Ottawa and The Cameron Highlanders of
   Ottawa. From the Highlanders' homepage:

     The 43rd Ottawa and Carleton Battalion of Rifles was first permitted
     to adopt the motto "ADVANCE" and to bear the same upon its
     appointments in accordance with General Order - 82 dated 13 January,
     1882. This motto has been perpetuated by all successors to the 43rd,
     including the Regiment today. It is the motto of the City of Ottawa.

   Although Ottawa is often associated with the Governor General's Foot
   Guards (who wear the distinctive scarlet tunic and Bearskin headdress,
   and parade regularly on Parliament Hill during the summer), the Cameron
   Highlanders have a special privilege: marching with bayonets fixed when
   they march through town. This is part of the "Freedom of the City"
   honour, accorded to the unit by the mayor of Ottawa in May 1969.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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