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Celebrate the pomp and pageantry of Canada's capital city on an inspiring visit to Parliament Hill. Note the harmonious blend of French and English cultures all around you. Go boating on the historic Rideau Canal and, in winter, return for Winterlude Festival fun like ice sculpting and skating. Go museum hopping or applaud some of the best in Canadian dance, music and theatre at the National Arts Centre. Take a horse-drawn wagon ride through the middle of the city and treat yourself to a sweet BeaverTail pastry. Savour the lively local scene at the historic ByWard Market bustling with buskers, farmers' market stalls, boutiques, galleries and cafés. Plan a capital time in Ottawa. |
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Visit the seat of Canadian government, explore some of the nation's best and most unique museums, discover inspiring history and plenty of green space in Ottawa - a great year-round destination for the whole family.
- Be inspired by the grandeur of Parliament Hill's stately, neo-Gothic architecture, carillon concerts and the colourful Changing of the Guard ceremony.
- Go boating on Dows Lake or relax at a canal-side café. In winter, lace your skates for figure-eights on the Rideau Canal - the world's longest skating rink.
- Explore Canada's cultural mosaic at the architecturally amazing Canadian Museum of Civilization - the nation's largest and most popular museum.
- Be enthralled by Badlands dinosaurs, bizarre bugs and a host of other big and crawly critters at the Canadian Museum of Nature.
- Shop the boutiques and farm stalls by day and hop between the diversity of cafés by night in the historic ByWard Market.
- Enjoy great Canadian art and blockbuster exhibits at the stunning National Gallery overlooking Parliament Hill.
- Cheer on the Senators as they skate for a goal in an action-packed National Hockey League game at the modern Corel Centre.
- Take flight in a vintage biplane or pilot a hang glider from the safety of a virtual reality simulator at the acclaimed National Aviation Museum.
- Meet a Mountie in characteristic red tunic, tour the renowned R.C.M.P. stables and enjoy the show as the horses go through their paces at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride Centre.
- Learn the ancient traditions and cultures of the First Nations through entrancing dancing and drumming programs and Pow Wows with the Turtle Island Tourism Company.
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Did you know?
Approximately one million tulips create waves of colour at the world's largest tulip festival each May in Ottawa.
Ottawa Resources
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The Land
The name "Ontario" comes from the Iroquois word "Kanadario" meaning "sparkling water." The name is fitting: not only is Ontario bordered on the south by the Great Lakes and on the north by Hudson Bay, but 177 390 km2, or one sixth of its terrain, is covered by rivers and lakes. Ontario is larger than Spain and France combined. The province has a landmass of 1,068,580 sq km and is the 2nd largest province in Canada. At its greatest extremity Ontario is 690 km in width. the longest distance north/south is 1,730 km. The highest point, at 693 m above sea level, is in the District of Timiskaming, near Lady Evelyn Smoothwater Provincial Park.
The People
With over 11 million people, Ontario is the country's most heavily populated province. While English is the official language, Ontario's Francophones play an essential part in the province's cultural life. The provincial government provides services in French in those regions where the Francophone population is sufficiently high.
 Economy
Ontario is Canada's most productive province, generating some 40 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). Its manufacturing industries lead the way. Ontario's competitive advantages include its natural resources, modern transportation system, large, well-educated labour force, reliable and relatively inexpensive electrical power, and proximity to key U.S. markets: less than a day's drive puts Ontario's products within reach of 120 million American consumers. Automobiles are Ontario's major manufacturing industry and most important export, employing more than 140 000 people. Motor vehicles, parts and accessories accounted for 37% of Canada's total exports in 1998.
*Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, Copyright (c) 2003.
Canada is the second largest country in the world in terms of land area (9 012 112.20 square kilometres), yet it ranks only 33rd in terms of population. According to Statistics Canada, Canada's population in 2000 was estimated to be 30 750 100. This represents a growth of 3.6% since the 1996 estimate of 29 671 900. Almost all of Canada's population is concentrated in a narrow band along the country’s southern edge. The population is also concentrated by province: Ontario and Quebec contain between them 62% of the total population.
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