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Kingston is a city in the Canadian province of Eastern Ontario. It is situated near the eastern extremity of Lake Ontario, at the mouth of the Cataraqui River, and at the beginning of the St. Lawrence River (south end of the Rideau Canal). The city is located approximately halfway between Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec. To the east lies the Thousand Islands tourism area. Because of the many heritage buildings built with local limestone, Kingston is known as the "Limestone City."

Growing European exploration in the 17th century, as well as the desire for Europeans to establish a presence close to local Native occupants in order to control trade, led to the establishment of a French trading post and military fort at "Cataraqui" (generally pronounced "kah-tah-ROCK-way") in 1673. This garrison, first as Fort Cataraqui and subsequently Fort Frontenac, became a settlement hub. Kingston, Ontario, has been effectively under British control since 1760. After the British seized possession of the fort, Cataraqui was renamed Kingston, and Loyalists began populating the region in the 1780s.

On February 10, 1841, Kingston was designated as the first capital of the United Provinces of Canada. While its tenure as a capital city was brief (it ended in 1844), the town has remained a vital military station. Until 1998, Kingston was the county seat of Frontenac County. Kingston is currently a distinct municipality from Frontenac County.