Toronto is the capital of Ontario, a province in southeastern Canada. It is the country's most populous city, a cosmopolitan metropolis, and the country's financial and commercial hub. Toronto's location on the northwestern side of Lake Ontario, which forms part of Canada's border with the United States, as well as its proximity to Atlantic shipping via the St. Lawrence Seaway and major U.S. industrial centers via the Great Lakes, have made it a major international commerce hub. Furthermore, Toronto is situated on the outskirts of some of Canada's best farmland, with a climate conducive to the production of a wide range of crops, making it a transportation, distribution, and manufacturing hub. Most importantly, because of its central location and a slew of pro-international trade policies, this city has the strongest economic linkages to and influence over the United States.
Site in the city
The melting of ice from a previous glacial period drastically changed the geography of the Toronto region. A glacial lake known as Lake Iroquois existed approximately 11,000 years ago, and it was significantly larger (roughly 130 feet [40 meters] higher) than the present-day Lake Ontario. The lake waters plummeted once the St. Lawrence River opened up, plunging more than 300 feet (90 meters) below their current level. Water levels rose to their current level over time, leaving a marshy shoreline but a lovely natural harbor. Although there is a fairly significant rise of 40 feet (12 meters) 3 to 4 miles (5 to 6 kilometers) inland—the coastline elevation of the ancient glacial lake—the city's site is almost uniformly level.
The surrounding land's resources were also crucial to Toronto's development. Southern Ontario's rich sedimentary soils made great farmland, while the ancient rock of the Canadian Shield to the north produced not only valuable mineral richness but also spruce and pine forests. The city's location at the mouth of the Humber River, which provided a trade route north to Lake Simcoe and a shortcut to Georgian Bay on Lake Huron, is another physical feature.
Climate
Toronto has a continental climate that is significantly influenced by the Great Lakes' proximity. The average temperature in January is in the low to mid-20s Fahrenheit (approximately –4.2 degrees Celsius), however the wind chill factor can significantly lower this temperature. The typical July temperature is in the low 70s F (approximately 22.2 °C); but, hot summer days are not uncommon.
Layout of the city
The city skyline is dominated by the CN Tower (a communications and observation spire 1,815 feet [553 meters] high) as well as the First Canadian Place (Bank of Montreal), Scotia Plaza, Canada Trust Tower, Manulife Centre, Commerce Court, Toronto-Dominion Centre, and Bay Adelaide Centre, each of which has seen a nearly fourfold increase in population from 1.3 million in 1951 to over 5 million by 2006. City Hall (1965), Eaton Centre (a large indoor shopping complex), the gilded Royal Bank Plaza, the Toronto Reference Library, the Ontario Science Centre, the Royal Ontario Museum, with its crystal-shaped facade, and Roy Thomson Hall, known for its excellent acoustics, are among the other notable structures. In addition, the city has a vast network of underground tunnels and concourses dotted with stores, restaurants, and theaters.
People
Many political and economic events that impacted the entire province of Ontario shaped Toronto's growth and demographic mix. Because of the influx of English-speaking Protestants (and a few of First Nations) who decided to live in British North America after the American Revolution, Ontario was dubbed a loyalist creation. Immigration continued, albeit slowly at first, but much more quickly as a result of transit advancements that established Toronto as a major transportation and industrial hub. Many of the newcomers came from all around Europe and the United States. Despite this, the majority of the population was English-speaking and Protestant.
Image Sources:
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Toronto is a very beautiful city. You described the city well.