Columbus is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. It had a population of 905,748 at the 2020 census, making it the 14th most populous city in the United States, and a metropolitan area population of around 2.2 million. The city is the county seat of Franklin County and also extends into Delaware and Fairfield counties. Columbus was founded in 1812 at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers and was named after Christopher Columbus. It became the state capital in 1816 and grew during the nineteenth century as a transportation and industrial hub linked by the National Road, canals and railroads. Columbus is now a center for high-tech manufacturing with plants operated by Intel, Honda and LG Energy Solution and is home to Ohio State University, one of the largest universities in the country. This photograph shows Downtown Columbus and the Scioto Mile, viewed from the southwest.
