Ottawa is a city of great natural beauty. It is located in the southeastern part of the province of Ontario, on the southern bank of the Ottawa River opposite the city of Hull. Ottawa is situated on a bluff above the Ottawa River, and both the Rideau River and the Rideau Canal flow through the city. Ottawa covers a land area of 110.2 sq km (42.5 sq mi) and is surrounded by a 17,000-hectare (42,000-acre) protected greenbelt to the south and west. The land area of the CMA is 5686.4 sq km (2195.5 sq mi). It is screened on the north by 34,400 hectares (85,000 acres) of wilderness conservation area on the Québec side of the Ottawa River. Within Ottawa's borders lies the 500-hectare (1200-acre) Central Experimental Farm, the only urban farm in Canada.
The Canadian Parliament buildings are located on Parliament Hill, which overlooks the Ottawa River just west of the Rideau Canal. The Parliament buildings include the Peace Tower, the dominant feature of the complex, and the East, Centre, and West blocks. The East and West blocks house administrative offices. The Centre Block, gutted by fire in 1916, was rebuilt in 1921. Sharing Wellington Street with the Parliament buildings are the Confederation Building, the Supreme Court, the National Library, and the United States Embassy. Sussex Drive, leading away from Parliament toward the municipality of Rockcliffe Park, is also lined with public buildings. To its east lies the Byward Market, a thriving commercial area that features a farmers' market and is the center of Ottawa's nightlife.
Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Ottawa Information info
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