Gatineau is an industrial city in southern Quebec. It lies on the Ottawa River. Ottawa, Canada's capital, faces Gatineau across the river. Gatineau was first created in 1975 through a merger of seven communities. In 2002, Gatineau merged with the nearby municipalities of Aylmer, Buckingham, Hull, and Masson-Angers. In January 2006, Masson-Angers became an independent municipality. The population of Gatineau fell from about 230,000 to about 217,000.