History of Halifax, Nova Scotia

The history of Halifax, Nova Scotia, begins with its founding by the British in 1749 on territory gained from a war with the French. It was part of the traditional territory of the Mi'kmaq and settled by French Acadians. The new settlement was named for head of the British Board of Trade, Earl of Halifax, who authorized the settlement, becoming the colonial capital. Its location was chosen for its deep harbour. A permanent navy base, the Halifax Naval Yard was established in 1759. The city's fortunes were tied to the military presence. With the end of the French and Indian War in 1763, the French were no longer a threat and military personnel were deployed elsewhere.

Nova Scotia was the fourteenth British colony on the Atlantic seaboard, and with political resistance on the southern Thirteen Colonies that led to the American War of Independence (1775-1783), the importance of Halifax to the British Empire increased. The importance remained through the War of 1812 between Britain and the United States. With the end of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe in 1815, Britain relocated the major Royal Naval station to Bermuda in 1818, leading to an economic slump in the aftermath. The city recovered economically through the efforts of local entrepreneurs. Halifax continued to play a role in military conflicts in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The modern municipality of Halifax, Nova Scotia was created on 1 April 1996, when the City of Dartmouth, the City of Halifax, the Town of Bedford, and the County of Halifax were amalgamated, forming the Halifax Regional Municipality. As of 2021, the community (defined by the boundaries of the City immediately prior to the 1996 amalgamation) has 156,141 inhabitants within an area of 61.961 km² (23.923 sq mi).