Winnipeg lies at the confluence of the Assiniboine River and the North-flowing Red River. Winnipeg became the rail center and grain-trading center for western Canada because the ice age glaciers created large lakes that forced the railroads through this point in southern Manitoba.

The city has an ethnically diverse population of 650,000 and has many cultural groups and activities. Winnipeg is a major head-office city, particularly in the financial services sector and is home to Canada's largest life insurance company, Canada's largest mutual fund company, as well as its only commodities exchange. The city actively supports its team in the Canadian Football team, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.