The capital of Manitoba is Winnipeg which has a population of 683,000, making it the largest city in the province.
Manitoba's provincial motto is Glorious Et Liber (Glorious and Free), and the provincial flower is the Prairie Crocus.
Warm, sunny summers and cold bright winters characterize Manitoba's climate. It has a continental climate, with great temperature extremes. The mean January temperature in Winnipeg is about -20ºC; the July average is about 19ºC. Wide variations from average values are common in all seasons.
The name Manitoba comes from the Cree words "Manitou bou," which mean "the narrows of the Great Spirit." Manitoba is the easternmost of the 3 Prairie Provinces and is located in the centre of Canada. Manitoba borders Saskatchewan on the west and the U.S. to the south, Nunavet to the north and Ontario to the east.
Manitoba is a relatively level, flat land, elevations rise slowly to the south and west from sea level at Hudson Bay. The area of Manitoba is 649,950 sq. km.