Halifax, Nova Scotia

Halifax
Halifax Regional Municipality
Motto(s): 
"E Mari Merces" (Latin)
"From the Sea, Wealth"
Location in Nova Scotia
Halifax
Location in Canada
Coordinates: 44°38′51″N 63°35′26″W / 44.64750°N 63.59056°W / 44.64750; -63.59056
CountryCanada
ProvinceNova Scotia
Town1749
City1842
Regional municipalityApril 1, 1996
Named afterGeorge Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax
Government
 • TypeRegional municipality
 • MayorAndy Fillmore
 • Governing bodyHalifax Regional Council
 • MPs
List of MPs
 • MLAs
Area
 • Regional municipality
5,475.57 km2 (2,114.13 sq mi)
 • Urban
238.29 km2 (92.00 sq mi)
 • Metro
7,276.22 km2 (2,809.36 sq mi)
Highest elevation
241.9 m (793.6 ft)
Lowest elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2021)
 • Regional municipality
439,819 (13th)
 • Density80.3/km2 (208/sq mi)
 • Urban
348,634
 • Urban density1,463.1/km2 (3,789/sq mi)
 • Metro
465,703 (12th)
 • Metro density64/km2 (170/sq mi)
 • Change 2016–2021
9.1%
 • Census ranking
13 of 5,162
DemonymHaligonian
Gross Metropolitan Product
 • Halifax CMACA$24.4 billion (2020)
Time zoneUTC−04:00 (AST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−03:00 (ADT)
Postal code span
B0J, B3A to B4G
Area codes902, 782
Websitewww.halifax.ca

Halifax, officially the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), is the capital and most populous municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the most populous municipality in Atlantic Canada. It consists of four former municipalities that were amalgamated in 1996: Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, and Halifax County.

Halifax is an economic centre of Atlantic Canada, home to a concentration of government offices and private companies. Major employers include the Department of National Defence, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Saint Mary's University, the Halifax Shipyard, various levels of government, and the Port of Halifax. Resource industries found in rural areas of the municipality include agriculture, fishing, mining, forestry, and natural gas extraction. As of 2024, it is estimated that the population of the Halifax CMA was 530,167, with 348,634 people in its urban area.