Columbus is the capital and most populous city of Ohio, with a population of 905,748 in 2020, making it the 14th-largest city in the U.S. and the second-largest in the Midwest after Chicago. Founded in 1812 at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers and named after explorer Christopher Columbus, it became the state capital in 1816 and grew into a transportation and industrial hub. Today, it is a major center for high technology, artificial intelligence, and semiconductor manufacturing, and serves as the headquarters for Fortune 500 companies like Cardinal Health and Nationwide. The metro area is also home to Ohio State University, the world-renowned Battelle Memorial Institute, and cultural venues such as the Columbus Museum of Art and COSI, as well as professional sports teams like the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets and MLS's Columbus Crew. The city's namesake has become controversial, leading to the removal of a 22-foot statue of Columbus from City Hall in 2021 amid calls to rename the city. Its rich history dates back to indigenous Mound Builders (Adena and Hopewell cultures) who inhabited the area for millennia, and it is affectionately nicknamed "Cbus" and "Arch City" among other monikers.