Montreal

Montreal is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec, and the second-largest city in the nation. It is located in the Southwest of Quebec, occupying much of the Island of Montreal, about 380 miles due north from New York City.

Fast Facts

1. Country: Canada
2. Province: Quebec
3. Mayor: Gérald Tremblay
4. Population: 1,854,442 (2006)
5. Founded: 1642 (Established 1832)
6. Language: French
7. Currency: Canadian dollar
8. Area Codes: +514 and +438
9. Time Zone: EST
10. Originally named "Ville-Marie"
11. Ranked the world's 10th cleanest city
12. Hosted a World's Fair from April 27 to October 29, 1967

History

French explorer Samuel de Champlain established a fur trading colony in 1611 on what is now the city of Montreal, naming it La Place Royale. The colony became an important center for French life in the New World until it was taken over by the British in 1760.

Montreal was Canada's capital city from 1844 to 1849. By 1860, it was the largest British-controlled city in North America.

During the 20th Century, the decline of Montreal's economy and utility as a shipping center allowed Toronto to surpass it as the major Canadian metropolis. Montreal hosted the 1976 Summer Olympics.

Culture

Montreal is one of the five largest French-speaking cities in the world, and the center of French-speaking culture in North America. The mix of the city's French and British heritage, along with recent waves of immigration, have given birth to a unique regional cuisine as well, and Montreal is known for its meat pies and a dish containing french fries, cheese curds and gravy known as "poutine".

Montreal also has a vibrant and diverse musical scene, and has recently become something of a hub for internationally-acclaimed rock bands, including Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, Besnard Lakes, Islands and Do Make Say Think. (The popular band Of Montreal is not actually from Montreal, but Athens, Georgia.)

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