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The name "Winnipeg" comes from the Cree for "muddy waters". The Winnipeg area was a trading centre for Aboriginal peoples prior to the arrival of Europeans. The first fort was built there in 1738 by French traders. A settlement was later founded by the Selkirk settlers in 1812, the nucleus of which was incorporated as the City of Winnipeg in 1873. During the late 19th century and early 20th century, Winnipeg was one of the fastest growing cities in North America. The University of Manitoba, founded during this period, was the first university in Western Canada. Winnipeg has a diversified economy, with sectors in finance, manufacturing, food and beverage production, culture, retail and tourism. Winnipeg is a major transportation hub, served by Richardson International Airport. The city has railway connections to the United States and Eastern and Western Canada through three Class I rail carriers. Winnipeg is the seventh-largest municipality in Canada, with a population of 633,451 in the Canada 2006 Census. The city's census metropolitan area-consisting of the city of Winnipeg, ten nearby rural municipalities and the First Nations reserve of Brokenhead 4, Manitoba-is Canada's eighth-largest, with 694,668 inhabitants. As of July 2009, the population of the city of Winnipeg was estimated at 675,100, and that of the census metropolitan area at 742,400. Winnipeg's cultural organizations and festivals include the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Manitoba Opera, Le Cercle Molière, Festival du Voyageur and Folklorama. Professional sports organizations based in the city include the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the Winnipeg Jets, and the Winnipeg Goldeyes. |