Ontario

Ontario sits between the provinces of Quebec and Manitoba, south of the Hudson Bay. The states of New York and Michigan meander around its uneven southernmost point. Ontario is the busiest province in Canada in terms of industry and agriculture and, as the location of Ottawa, the nation's capital city, it is also where most of the country's political decisions are made.

Encompassing about 415,000 square miles, over 10% of Canada's land area, Ontario is the second largest province in Canada with the highest population. More than 11 million multi- national residents live in Ontario.

Most of the people reside in the southern region, the Great Lakes region of Ontario, with the majority living in and around the cosmopolitan city of Toronto. The northern region, known as the Hudson Bay Lowlands, is basically uninhabited swamp and limestone. The Canadian Shield region, north of the lowlands, takes up nearly half of the province's land mass. It is also sparsely populated, however, this is where most of Canada's metals are extracted, such as copper, lead, nickel and uranium.

With more than 250,000 lakes (the province is home to four of the Great Lakes: Lake Superior, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and Lake Huron) and miles and miles of rivers and streams, tourists and locals enjoy fishing, boating, sailing and other water activities in Ontario, including exploring by road or waterway, the region where a wide St. Lawrence River is dotted with a thousand islands and by visiting one of North America's most spectacular scenic sites (still a choice destination with honeymooners world-wide) the multi-photographed Niagara Falls.

Other highlights include the home of Alexandra Bell in Brantford, Black Creek Pioneer Village, a recreated 19th century village in Toronto, and dozens upon dozens of museums, art galleries, cultural districts, cultural centers and all with unique character and charm.