London, Ontario

London is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada on the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor with a metropolitan area population of about 432,451; the city proper has a population of about 360,000 (2005). London is the seat of Middlesex County, at the forks of the Thames River, almost exactly halfway between Toronto and Detroit. It is located at {{coor dm|43|2|N|81|9|W|}}. London and the surrounding area (roughly, the territory between Kitchener and Chatham) is collectively known as Western Ontario.

Geography

The area was formed during the retreat of the glaciers during the last ice age, which produced areas of marshland, notably the Sifton Bog, as well as some of the most productive areas of farmland in Ontario. The eastern half of the city is generally flat, with gently rolling hills in the west and north.

Related Topics:
Glaciers - Ice age

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The Thames River dominates London's geography, with the North Thames River and Thames River meeting at the centre of the city known as "The Forks" or "The Fork of the Thames". The North Thames runs through the man-made Fanshawe Lake, located in north-east London. Fanshawe Lake was created by Fanshawe Dam, which was constructed to protect the areas down river from catastrophic flooding which has affected the city on two occasions in the past.

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Due to its proximity to the Great Lakes, London experiences very contrasting seasons. The summers are usually hot and muggy, while the winters are normally quite cold. London has the most thunder and lightning storms of any area in Canada.

Related Topics:
Great Lakes - Thunder - Lightning

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Major Parks

• Victoria Park, in central London
• Labatt Memorial Park, in west London at the riverforks
• Harris Park, in central London
• Gibbons Park, in north London
• Fanshawe Conservation Area, in north-east London
• Springbank Park, in north-west London
• Westminister Ponds, in south London