Know the reason why Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the Canadian capitalExamining why Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the Canadian capital.(more)See all videos for this articleOttawa: Rideau Canal and Parliament BuildingsRideau Canal and Parliament Buildings, Ottawa.(more)Ottawa, city, capital of , located in southeastern . In the eastern extreme of the province, Ottawa is situated on the south bank of the across from , , at the confluence of the Ottawa (Outaouais), , and Rideau rivers. The Ottawa River (some 790 miles [1,270 km] long), the principal tributary of the , was a key factor in the city’s settlement and development; its watershed, covering more than 57,000 square miles (148,000 square km), facilitated the transport of resources such as furs, timber, and minerals from the region. The river’s Chaudière Falls, just west of the , while initially a navigational hazard for the fur trade and later for the transport of logging rafts, ultimately proved to be an asset in the production of for the city and a boon to the growth of industry.Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Parliament BuildingsThe Canadian Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, Ontario.(more)Ottawa, Ontario, Canada(more)Originally a trading and lumbering community that grew into a of regional significance, Ottawa was named the capital of the Province of Canada in 1857 and retained that status when Canada became a within the in 1867. Because of its location on the boundary between English-speaking Ontario and French-speaking and its position as national capital, Ottawa is one of the most bilingual cities in the country. Area, 1,077 square miles (2,790 square km); Ottawa-Gatineau metro. area, 2,427 square miles (6,287 square km). Pop. (2011) 883,391; Ottawa-Gatineau metro. area, 1,254,919; (2021) 1,017,449; Ottawa-Gatineau metro. area, 1,488,307. History The earliest inhabitants of the Ottawa region were members of the First Nation (Native Americans), who established settlements in the Ottawa River valley. The tribe known as the (Outaouais), however, settled in the area for only a short period during the mid-1600s; their traditional territory was considerably farther west on . They were well known as traders (the name Ottawa is believed to be derived from an word meaning “to trade”), and they took part in the local fur trade. The first descriptions of Ottawa’s future site were written in 1613 by the founder of , . The rivers served as passageways for explorers and fur traders over the following two centuries. In 1763 France ceded all of New France east of the to Great Britain under the . The (1792–1815) increased Britain’s need for shipbuilding timber, and the Ottawa River valley offered just such resources. In 1800 a group of farmers from Massachusetts led by Philemon Wright established the area’s first permanent town, Wrightsville, north of the Ottawa River. (It was incorporated in 1875 as the city of , now part of Gatineau.) Wright began harvesting trees in 1806, giving rise to a timber trade that attracted lumberjacks and other itinerant workers. Permanent settlement on the south bank of the river did not occur until the following decade, when, during the between Britain and the , it became apparent that the St. Lawrence River between and , Ontario, was vulnerable to attack as both a military and an economic target. The British proposed turning the Rideau River into a canal to serve as an alternate shipping and transportation route, diverting traffic up the Ottawa River to Chaudière Falls and back down to Kingston. Lieut. Col. of the Royal Engineers was in charge of constructing the more than 126-mile- (203-km-) long canal (1826–32). He also surveyed and laid out a town site on the south bank as a place of residence for his workers and himself; that became known as Bytown. It was incorporated as a town in 1850 and as the city of Ottawa in 1855. Ottawa: Parliament BuildingsParliament Buildings, Ottawa.(more)The Rideau Canal was never used as a military route, but its importance in the transportation of timbers, goods, and people was the main factor in the city’s early growth, especially during the period of high U.S. demand for forest products that lasted through the 1800s. Political unrest within Britain’s Canadian colonies (including armed rebellion in 1837) resulted in Britain’s unification of the separate colonies of and into one province, the Province of Canada (1841). When it came time to designate a capital for united Canada, however, political quarrels between rival cities, such as between and and between Montreal and Kingston, induced leaders to call upon to settle the question. The queen selected Ottawa in late 1857. Although Ottawa was a strong candidate because of its location and its accessibility by rail, the choice still surprised many, given the city’s relatively small size and its identification primarily with the processing and distribution of lumber. When the Dominion of Canada was formed a decade later, Ottawa remained the capital, and it continued to grow as a major administrative centre., Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps., Ottawa — where you can go hiking, running, white water rafting, paddling, cycling, mountain biking, rock climbing, spelunking and more. Celebrate Canada Day 2025 in Canada’s capital with fireworks, live music, family-friendly activities, and unforgettable parties across Ottawa..