Ontario

Province of Canada; area 222,000 sq. m. The surface is undulating, and in places hilly, rising n.e. The densest settlement is along the shores of the lakes. The leading industry is agriculture, the principal crops being the cereals and fruit. Lumbering is important, and the province has a large commerce by way of the lakes and its excellent railroad system, which had an extent. 1893, of ab. 7,500 m. The capital is Toronto. Ottawa, one of its largest cities, is the capital of the Dominion of Canada. O. was called Upper Canada, or Canada West 1791. It was originally a part of the French po e ions, and pa ed to England with the other French territory 1763. The provinces of Upper and Lower Canada were united 1840, and received the name O. in 1867, when they united with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to form the Dominion of Canada. By 1873 all British N. America had joined the confederation except Newfoundland. Pop., 1891, 2,214,321.