Is Paris further north than Ottawa?
Yes. Paris, at 48.9° N, lies about 380 km further north than Ottawa, at 45.4° N.
The duel opens first in a practice round of ten; practice never changes your daily streak.
Why it surprises
Ottawa is often called one of the coldest capital cities in the world, and Paris is a byword for mild spring days, so nearly everyone puts Paris further south. The reverse is true. The centre of Paris lies at 48.9° N and Ottawa’s at 45.4° N, about 380 km further south, level with Milan and Portland, Oregon. Winter temperatures tell the real story. At Ottawa’s airport the average temperature in January, across 1991 to 2020, was about −10 °C, because the city sits in the middle of a continent where winter air can be bitterly cold. Paris gets a mix of air masses, but most of them have crossed the Atlantic first and been softened by its water. A city’s winter is a poor guide to how far north it is.
Sources for this explanation
- Ville de Paris: cdn.paris.fr, checked 25 October 2026
- Environment and Climate Change Canada: climate.weather.gc.ca, checked 25 October 2026
Where the numbers come from
Each city is placed by Wikidata’s coordinate for its centre, cross-checked with Natural Earth’s populated places. Details: Paris and Ottawa.
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