Ontario is a city in southwestern San Bernardino County, California, about 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles and 23 miles west of downtown San Bernardino. It is part of the Inland Empire and the Greater Los Angeles Area. As of 2020, the population was 175,265. The city is home to Ontario International Airport, which is one of the busiest airports in the U.S. for cargo, handling freight between the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and the rest of the country. Ontario was founded in 1882 by Canadian engineer George Chaffey and his brothers, who named it after their home province of Ontario.
Historically, the area was inhabited by the Tongva people for over 1,000 years, in a region called Tovaangar. Spanish explorers arrived in 1769, and Franciscans established nearby missions in 1771, including Mission San Gabriel Arcangel. The Tongva village of Kaawchama was replaced by the Guachama rancheria, which later became the San Bernardino de Sena estancia. The region was part of New Spain and later the province of Nueva California.









