Toronto is located on the north western shore of Lake Ontario, it covers an area of 630 square kilometres, with a maximum north-south distance of 21 kilometres and a maximum east west distance of 43 km. It has a 46 kilometres long waterfront shoreline, on the north western shore of Lake Ontario. Its borders are formed by Lake Ontario to the south, Etobicoke Creek and Highway 427 to the west, Steeles Avenue to the north and the Rouge River to the east.
The name Toronto is likely derived from the Iroquois word tkaronto, meaning "place where trees stand in the water". It refers to the northern end of what is now Lake Simcoe. With over 2.7 million people, the city is the key to one of North America's most vibrant regions, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). It is the fifth-most populous municipality in North America and it is the city with a rich cultural, entertainment, and financial capital of the nation. The city is also the seat of government of the province of Ontario.
As Canada's economic capital, Toronto is considered a global city and is one of the top financial cities in the world. Its leading economic sectors include finance, business services, telecommunications, aerospace, transportation, media, arts, film, television production, publishing, software production, medical research, education, and tourism and sports industries.
Toronto's population is cosmopolitan and international, reflecting its role as an important destination for immigrants to Canada. It is one of the world's most diverse cities by percentage of non native born residents, as about 49 percent of the population was born outside of Canada. The city receives immigrant groups, particularly Germans, Italians, and Jews from various parts of Eastern Europe.
Toronto is served by an extensive transportation infrastructure. The public transit system, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is clean, safe and efficient, and widely rated among the world's best. The TTC has a network of more than 4,000 miles of bus, streetcar, subway and light rapid transit routes, all in one integrated system. That is why Toronto is a city very safe and clean.
Toronto is one of the most advanced telecommunications centres in North America. In the field of electronic data interchange, a key technology in financial services, it is very likely the most advanced in the world. This is due to a business telecommunications system which is 100% fibre optic. Toronto is the first North American city to offer this facility.
Toronto's climate is moderate for Canada due to its southerly location within the country and its proximity to Lake Ontario. It has a humid continental climate, with warm, humid summers and generally cold winters. The city experiences four distinct seasons with considerable variance in day to day temperature, particularly during the colder weather season.
Toronto winters sometimes feature short cold snaps where maximum temperatures remain below −10 °C. Snowstorms sometimes mixed with ice and rain can disrupt work and travel schedules, accumulating snow can fall anytime from November until mid-April.
Summer in Toronto is characterized by long stretches of humid weather. Daytime temperatures occasionally surpass 35 °C, with high humidity making it feel oppressive during usually brief periods of hot weather.
Spring and autumn are transitional seasons with generally mild or cool temperatures with alternating dry and wet periods. Summer is usually the wettest season, the bulk falling during thunderstorms. There can be periods of dry weather, but drought like conditions are rare.