Columbus is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Ohio. It is the 14^th-largest city in the United States, with a population of 860,090 as of 2016 estimates. This makes Columbus the third-most populous state capital in the United States, and the second-largest city in the Midwestern United States, after Chicago.

Columbus is the county seat of Franklin County. Named for explorer Christopher Columbus, the city was founded in 1812 at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers.

The city has a diverse economy based on education, government, insurance, banking, defense, aviation, food, clothes, logistics, steel, energy, medical research, health care, hospitality, retail, and technology.

In 2016, Money Magazine ranked Columbus as one of "The 6 Best Big Cities", calling it the best in the Midwest, citing a highly educated workforce and excellent wage growth.

The city's climate is humid continental transitional with the humid subtropical climate to the south characterized by hot, muggy summers and cold, dry winters and the winter snowfall is relatively light.

The city's primary airport, John Glenn International Airport (CMH), is located on the east side of the city, with several smaller airports in the region as well. John Glenn, formerly known as Port Columbus, provides service to Toronto, Canada and Cancun, Mexico (on a seasonal basis), as well as to most domestic destinations, including all the major hubs except San Francisco, Salt Lake City, and Seattle.

Annual festivities in Columbus include the Ohio State Fair—one of the largest state fairs in the country—as well as the Columbus Arts festival and the Jazz and Ribs Festival, both of which occur on the downtown riverfront.

Columbus is home to several notable buildings, including the Greek Revival State Capitol, the art-deco Ohio Judicial Center and the Peter Eisenman-designed Wexner Center and Greater Columbus Convention Center. The most beautiful city attractions include, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Ohio Statehouse, Center of Science and Industry (COSI) Columbus, German Village, Columbus Museum of Art, Kelton House Museum and Garden, Ohio Village, Franklin Park Conservatory, Scioto Mile, LeVeque Tower, Easton Town Center, Ohio Theater, Ohio Stadium, Greater Columbus Convention Center and Wagner-Hagans Auto Museum.