Ontario is one of 13 provinces and territories of Canada located in the east-central region of the country. It is country's economic powerhouse, most populous province , with an economy based on manufacturing, technology, financial services.
Ontario is one of 10 provinces of Canada and located in the east-central region of the county. Ontario is the most populous province of Canada with almost 40% of the country’s population and the second-largest in terms of land area, or the 4th largest in area when the territories of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories are included. Ontario is also home to Canada’s capital, Ottawa, and Toronto, the most populous city. It is bordered by the province Manitoba to the west, Quebec to the east, James Bay and Hudson Bay to the north and the U.S. states Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan and Minnesota to the south. The province shares a 2,700 kilometer (1,678 mile) border with the United States.
Ontario has a varied climate based on its geography:
• Northern Region
Subarctic climate with long, harsh winters and shorter, cooler summers.
• Southern Region
Milder climate, particularly in coastal areas, with moderate temperatures.
• Great Lakes Effect
Areas near the Great Lakes experience milder winters and more precipitation due to lake-effect snow and moisture.
Ontario is an industrial hub, producing automobiles, machinery, and aerospace equipment. Major centers include Toronto, Windsor, and Hamilton.
Toronto is Canada's largest financial center with major banks and a thriving tech sector in the Toronto-Waterloo corridor.
Northern Ontario has significant mining operations, including gold, nickel, and copper deposits, plus extensive forestry.
Leading producer of soybeans, corn, and dairy, with significant wine production in the Niagara region.
Average Age
41 years
Median Age
41 years
Female (50.7%)
Male (49.3%)
The 2021 census found the racial and ethnic composition of Ontario was:
White (54.3%)
South Asian (13.1%)
Chinese (7.6%)
Black (7.5%)
Filipino (3.5%)
Arab (2.1%)
Latin American (2.0%)
Southeast Asian (1.8%)
Indigenous (2.9%)
Other (5.2%)
English (86.4%)
French (3.8%)
Other (9.8%)
Average Household Income
$82,400
Median Household Income
$71,600
Poverty Rate
11.1%
The area was inhabited by First Nations peoples, primarily the Iroquoian-speaking Huron in the south and the Algonquian-speaking peoples in the north.
French explorer Étienne Brûlé became the first known European to travel through the region during an expedition to the Ottawa River.
The Treaty of Paris ended the Seven Years' War, with France ceding its North American territories, including what would become Ontario, to Great Britain.
The Constitutional Act divided the Province of Quebec into Upper Canada (now Ontario) and Lower Canada (now Quebec).
Confederation: The British North America Act created the Dominion of Canada with Ontario as one of the four founding provinces.
Post-WWII baby boom: Ontario experienced its most dramatic population growth period, increasing from 4.6 million to 6.2 million in just ten years.