Québec, or in Ville de Québec or Québec City, is a major city in eastern Canada on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River, at the mouth of the Rivière Saint-Charles.
The city owes its name to its special geographical features. Québec and its cityscape are characterised by the striking narrowing of the river and the Colline de Québec plateau, which rises steeply about a hundred metres above the river and where the city centre is located.
Architecturally, the city is considered the most European city in North America, with its well-preserved old town centre, numerous magnificent buildings and great meeting and conference hotels in the east of the country.
With around 550,000 inhabitants, Québec is the second largest city in the province of the same name. The entire metropolitan region of Communauté Métropolitaine de Québec is home to around 900,000 people. The service sector dominates the region's economy. Industry specialises in research-intensive cutting-edge technology.
Renowned financial service providers, such as the Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec, also have their headquarters in Québec.