Montreal

Montreal

Montreal aka MTL aka Real-City aka 514 aka Mount Real aka "French-City" aka M-T-sheLs aka "Gun"-treal is the second largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. It is located in the southwest of the province of Quebec, approximately 270 kilometres (168 miles) southwest of Quebec City, the provincial capital, and 190 kilometres (118 mi) east of Ottawa, the federal capital. The city is the largest French speaking city in the Western Hemisphere, and is the French language hub outside of France. At the 2001 Canadian Census, 1,588,590 people lived on the current territory of the city of Montreal. The population of the Montreal Census Metropolitan Area (also known as Greater Montreal Area) is estimated at 3,720,000 in 2006. Montreal is ranked as the 15th-largest metropolitan area in Northern America and 77th in the world. In 2006, both Traveler's Digest and AskMen.com ranked Montreal as the number one city in the world to live in for its culture, architecture, history and ambience.

Area Codes

514 is the area code for the island of Montreal, and 450 for the areas outside of the island. (Laval, South Shore, etc.)

Official City Boroughs

Ahuntsic-Cartierville - Anjou - Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce - L'Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève - Lachine - LaSalle - Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve - Montréal-Nord - Outremont - Pierrefonds-Roxboro - Le Plateau-Mont-Royal - Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles - Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie - Le Sud-Ouest - Saint-Laurent - Saint-Léonard - Verdun - Ville-Marie - Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension

Hoods

Amabaie, Cartierville, Chat-town, Côte-des-Neiges, Saint-Michel, Habitat 67, Ho-Neueve, Jeanne Mance, Lachine, Little-Burgundy, Montreal-North, Notre-Dame-de-Grace aka NDG, Rosemont, P9, Park-Ex, Plateau, Pointe St-Charles AKA P$C, Sunnybrooke, RDP, St-Henri, St. Laurent Lasalle, Verdun aka Ver-DUMP, Ville-Saint-Pierre, St-Leonard,Walkley

Major Gangs

67's, All Bout Crips, Bo-Gars, Crack Down Posse, Crazy Ass Delinquents, Downtown Posse, Hell's Angels, Kazze Bizze, Pelletier Street Boys, Ruff Ryders, STL'z, Syndicate, The West End Gang, Uptown Posse,Sunnybrooke Boyz

Rappers

45 Starz, A.N.O.N., AOT, Akshun, Black Mob,Spades The Don, BG Entertainment©, Black Gloves, Black Sash, Bless, Bilo da kid, Bones, Bunzy-Mack, Capo/Cash Rulez, Ceas Rock, Double Shots, DPC, Jonny Hostile/Benny Madison, Justice, Magnum 357, Malicious, Markings, Money Riderz, Mugz, Northern Lights, Novakane, Promise, Recognzie Real, Rehan, Royal Peasants, Solo,

Videos

A short clip of different sections of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

• The Finest Town music video

STL's Finest MTL rap group, reppin St-Leonard hard. $B'Z UP$

• Street Ball in MTL

Montreal's Metro Transit

As the 15th largest corporation in Québec, the STM (Société des transports de Montreal) provides 364 million trips per year, or 1.3 million trips on average each day of the week, which accounts for 85% of all public transit trips in Québec. The metro lines shut down around 12:30 a.m., after which the system shifts over to night bus lines until around 5:30 a.m.

Carifiesta

Carifiesta, the local name for the Latin American ritual of carnival or masque parade dates back to the days of slavery in the Caribbean islands. For Quebec's Caribbean community, the Carifiesta Festival is an adaptation of the traditional pre-Lenten festivities which precede the Mardi gras Carnival celebrated throughout the Caribbean. Over the years, the festival has adapted to include many groups of Haitian origins, with their own music and style of dress.

The festival is characterized by shows, dances, performances featuring different types of Caribbean music-calypso, zouk, reggae, racine-as well as the vibrant music of steelbands. Colorful "bands" of brilliantly costumed performers fill the streets with joviality and dance. Carifiesta is viewed as an affirmation of the splendor and creativity of the Caribbean community: a festival which brings joy, happiness and spirituality to both participants and the masses of people lining the streets to view the parade.

Apart from the parade, there are other events leading into Carifiesta. The Junior Carifiesta, is for children between 2 and 16 years. The King and Queen Show, where masqueraders with the most elaborate and original costumes are selected to be the king and queen of Carifiesta. The Calypso Monarch, also a key figure in the festival is chosen as well.

Major Sports Teams

Montreal Canadiens