Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It stands on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of southern Ontario. It is the fourth-largest city in Canada.Founded in 1826 as Bytown, and incorporated as "Ottawa" in 1855, the city has evolved into the political and technological centre of Canada. The city name "Ottawa" was chosen in reference to the Ottawa River, the name of which is derived from the Algonquin Odawa, meaning "to trade"

Ottawa is the most educated city in Canada and is home to a number of post-secondary, research, and cultural institutions, including the National Arts Centre, the National Gallery, and numerous national museums. Ottawa has the highest standard of living in the nation and low unemployment. It ranked 2nd nationally, 24th worldwide in the quality of life index and is consistently rated the best place to live in Canada.