Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto, Ontario, Canada is not only the capital of the province of Ontario but additionally holds the title for Canada's largest city. Located in southwestern Ontario, the city sits by the shorelines of Lake Ontario. Known for economic and financial districts, large companies and the Toronto Stock Exchange call the city their home. Corporations for telecommunications, transportation, medical research labs, software production and television can be found in Toronto.

Almost half the city's population is made up of immigrants, creating an ethnically diverse core. The city name "Toronto" was almost certainly derived from an Aboriginal word referring to trees standing in the water. The area was inhabited first by Iroquois and Huron indigenous tribes before European settlers (mainly of Irish descent) came to the area. The city was made official in March 1834 and has grown tremendously since.

Geography
The city surroundings is marked by long waterfront shores, the Toronto Harbour and islands. The area of Toronto is 243 square miles (630 square km). The sides of the city are marked by Lake Ontario and Etobicoke Creek in the south, the Rouge River to the east with highway 427 to the west and Steeles Avenue to the north.

Escarpments, bluffs, ravines and island have been established as a result of sediment build up from tributaries emptying into the Toronto Harbour. Due to the dense forest regions, the city has developed parks, trails and sites for citizens to enjoy. The ravines often provide great drainage systems for the city, however, heavy rainfall can still cause flooding in these areas. The elevation in the city ranges from 246 feet (75 m) to 686 feet (209 m) at various points in the city.

Demographics
The most recent census (2006) displayed Toronto's population to be 2.5 million. The metro population is 5.1 million. The average age in the city is 36.9. People aged 65 and older comprise 13.6% of the population. The vast majority of Torontonians are from a European people group and 49% of the population are immigrants. The city is made up of various cultural centers in particular Greektown, Little Italy, Chinatown, Little India and others. While 52% of the population are British, French, Italian, and Irish descent, 46% belong to a visible minority group. Some examples are: South Asian (12%), Black (8%), Chinese (11%), and Filipino (4%). Toronto's gender breakdown is: 54% female to 48% male.

Roughly 100,000 immigrants arrive in Toronto annually, making the city extremely diverse. While English remains the dominant spoken language in the city, Chinese and Italian are employed frequently at work. Emergency services now can respond to calls in 150 different languages.

Local weather
Toronto's climate is damp and moderate. Summers are usually warm and humid and winters are generally cold. Seasonal changes are very clear in Toronto and the city experiences large variances in daily temperatures usually during the winter months.

The urban nature of the city and location close to the water provides steady temperatures in the core of the city. Often weather conditions such as fog, seasonal lags and powerful winds come about because of the lake.

The city's ebb and flow from time to time is disrupted due to snowstorms that can be mixed with ice and rain. Accumulating snow generally melts with temperatures averaging 41 to 54 F. Sometimes cold snaps will occur however, dropping temperatures down to 14 F or lower. Heat, humidity and precipitation mark the summer months. During a heatwave, temperatures soar to above 95 F often lasting for long stretches. The average summer city temperature sits between 73 F to 31 88 F. Thunderstorms are frequent as is precipitation during the summer.