Population: 840,000+ (approx.)     The Land   Ottawa is located in the Ottawa River valley. It's a wonderful mix of valley, escarpment (Carp Ridge), and waterways.  The capital of Canada it is well known as the home of the world's longest skating rink, the Rideau Canal.  The city extends for miles in all directions now encompassing many formerly rural communities in one strong municipality.    The People   With over 840,000 people, Ottawa is a diverse and multi-culteral city.  While English is the official language, Ontario's Francophones play an essential part in the province's cultural life. The provincial government provides services in French in those regions where the Francophone population is sufficiently high.  People's from all across the globe make Ottawa their home.   Economy   Ottawa is the captial of Canada home to Federal Government of Canada. In addition, Ottawa is often refered to as 'Silicon Valley North' for the large technology section here.