Ontario

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- Population composition
- Settlement patterns
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History

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images & Videos

Political map of Ontario, Canada, showing major cities, lakes, and rivers, with international and provincial boundaries marked. An inset in the upper right highlights the densely populated southern region near Toronto, Hamilton, and Niagara Falls. A locator map in the bottom right corner shows Ontario's position within Canada.

Ottawa: Rideau Canal and Parliament Buildings

Physical map of Ontario showing major lakes, rivers, and bays, including Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Hudson Bay, and James Bay. The map highlights national parks, key waterways, and borders with Manitoba, Quebec, and U.S. states. Insets show Ontario's location within Canada and a detailed view of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River area.

Wide view of Niagara Falls in New York, showing powerful waterfalls cascading into the river below, with mist rising and green trees surrounding the falls.

Ice-skaters in Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto.

At a Glance

The Festival Theatre in Stratford, Ontario, with a metal statue of William Shakespeare standing on a sundial in a landscaped park in the foreground.

Ontario summary

Quizzes

Australia, United States, Canada, or Ireland? Quiz

Related Questions

How did Oliver Mowat expand Ontario’s territory after Confederation?
How did World War II change employment and manufacturing in Ontario?
How did glaciers shape the landforms of Southern Ontario?
How did hydroelectric development at Niagara Falls change Ontario’s economy?
How did politicians from Canada West contribute to Canadian Confederation in 1867?
How did railways help Toronto become a major commercial and industrial centre?
How did the American Revolution lead to Loyalist settlement in Ontario?
How did the Canada–United States Automotive Agreement of 1965 support Ontario’s automobile industry?
How did the Erie Canal strengthen Toronto’s trade connections with New York?
How did the Haudenosaunee Confederacy affect Huron and other southern peoples in 1648–49?
How did the Rebellion Losses Bill demonstrate responsible government in Canada?
How did the Welland Canal help trade in Ontario?
How do Toronto and Ottawa differ in average snowfall and temperature?
How do the Great Lakes affect the climate of Southern Ontario?
How does the Niagara Escarpment affect Ontario’s landscape?
What is the Golden Horseshoe and which Ontario cities are included in it?
What landforms make up the Canadian Shield in Northern Ontario?
What outdoor activities are available in Ontario’s provincial parks?
Where is Ishpatina Ridge located and why is it notable?
Where is Ontario located within Canada?
Which crops are important in Southwestern Ontario?
Which industries have made Ontario Canada’s leading manufacturing province?
Which professional sports teams are based in Ontario?
Which provinces and countries border Ontario?
Who was Étienne Brûlé and why was his travel in Ontario significant?
Why are the Great Lakes important to Ontario’s geography and economy?
Why are the Muskoka Lakes and Haliburton Highlands popular resort areas?
Why did France establish Fort Frontenac at present-day Kingston?
Why did John Graves Simcoe choose York as the capital of Upper Canada?
Why did Ontario create the Department of Municipal Affairs during the Great Depression?
Why did Ontario require companies to process forest products and nickel ore within the province?
Why did immigration become a major source of Ontario’s population growth after the 1980s?
Why did many U.S. companies establish branch plants in Ontario?
Why did the Constitutional Act of 1791 divide Quebec into Upper Canada and Lower Canada?
Why did the French and British form alliances with different First Nations groups in the Great Lakes region?
Why did the Rebellion Losses Bill cause riots in Montreal in 1849?
Why is the Niagara Peninsula important for fruit growing and viticulture?
Why was Upper Canada renamed Canada West in 1841?
What controversy arose in 2026 regarding the Gordie Howe International Bridge?
Who are historically the U.S.’s allies?
What are the two major political parties in the U.S.?
What is the smallest state in the U.S. by area?
What is the climate of Toronto?
What is the highest point in North America?
What is the largest country in North America by area?

Geography & Travel States & Other Subdivisions

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External Websites

Official Tourism Site of the Province of Ontario, Canada
CRW Flags - Flag of Ontario, Canada
The Canadian Encyclopedia - Ontario, Canada

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

Ontario - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
Ontario - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Ontario

Written by

Michiel Horn

Professor of History, York University. Author of Becoming Canadian: Memoirs of an Invisible Immigrant and others.

Michiel HornAll

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 12, 2026 •History

The earliest known inhabitants of the Ontario region included the Iroquoian-speaking agricultural Huron, Tionontati, and Erie peoples of the south and the Algonquian-speaking hunting Algonquin, Ojibwa, and Cree peoples of the north. The French explorer Étienne Brûlé was the first known European to travel among them, during an expedition to the Ottawa River in 1610–11. He was soon followed by Samuel de Champlain and other French explorers, fur traders, and missionaries. The southern tribes were...

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