The Alberta region
Alberta is one of Canada's western provinces. It became a province on September 1, 1905.
Alberta is located in Western Canada, bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east, Northwest Territories to the
north, and by the U.S. State of Montana to the south. Alberta is one of two provinces (the other being New Brunswick) to border only a single U.S. state.
It is also one of two provinces that are completely land-locked (the other being Saskatchewan).
The capital city of Alberta is Edmonton, located just south of the centre of the province. Calgary is a major distribution and transportation hub as well
as being one of Canada's major commerce centres. Edmonton is the primary supply and service hub for Canada's oil sands and other northern resource
industries. According to recent population estimates, these two metropolitan areas have now both exceeded 1 million people, Calgary being slightly
more populous than Edmonton. Other major but much smaller municipalities include Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie,
Camrose, Lloydminster, Wetaskiwin, Banff, and Jasper. See also: List of communities in Alberta.
Alberta is named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848–1939), the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. Princess Louise was the wife of the Marquess
of Lorne, Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883. Lake Louise, the village of Caroline, and Mount Alberta were also named in honour of Princess
Louise.
Alberta is in western Canada, and covers an area of 661,190 km² (255,287 mi²). To the south, it borders the US state of Montana at a latitude of 49°N, or
the 49th Parallel. To the east at a longitude of 110°W, it borders the province of Saskatchewan. At 60°N, it is bordered by the Northwest Territories.
To the west, its border with British Columbia follows the line of peaks of the Rocky Mountains range along the Continental Divide, which runs
northwesterly until it reaches 120° W, at which point the border follows this meridian to 60°N.
With the exception of the southeastern section, the province is well watered. Alberta contains dozens of rivers and lakes used for swimming, water skiing,
fishing and a full range of other water sports. There are three large lakes and a multitude of smaller lakes less than 260 km² each. Part of Lake Athabasca lies in the province of
Saskatchewan. Lake Claire lies just west of Lake Athabasca in Wood Buffalo National Park. Lesser Slave Lake is northwest of Edmonton.
Overall, Alberta has cold winters, with a temperature average of about -10°C (14°F) in the south to -24°C (-12°F) in the north. In the south along the
foothills of the Rockies, the winter cold is sometimes interrupted by Chinook winds which can propel temperatures upward in a short time frame close to or
infrequently above 20°C (68°F). These conditions most commonly occur in February or March. In the summer, the average daytime temperatures range
from around 21°C (70°F) in the Rocky Mountains (valleys) and far north to near 30°C (86°F) in the dry prairie of the southeast. The northern and
western parts of the province experience higher rainfall and lower evaporation rates caused by cooler summer temperatures. Alberta experiences a
good amount of sunshine for its northern location owing to its fairly dry climate; the east-central part of the province is one of the sunniest
places in Canada.
Alberta's capital city, Edmonton, is located almost in the geographic centre of the province, and most of Alberta's oil is refined here. Southern Alberta,
where Calgary is located, is known for its ranching. Much of the unforested part of Alberta is given over either to grain or to dairy farming,
with ranching predominant in the south.
In southeastern Alberta, where the Red Deer River traverses the flat prairie and farmland, are the Albertan badlands with deep gorges and striking
landforms. Dinosaur Provincial Park, near Drumheller, Alberta, showcases the badlands terrain, desert flora, and remnants from Alberta's past when
dinosaurs roamed the then lush landscape.
Alberta is one of only two Canadian provinces to have no maritime coast (the other being the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan.)
Alberta has been a tourist destination from the early days of the twentieth century, with attractions including outdoor locales for skiing, hiking and
camping, shopping locales such as West Edmonton Mall, outdoor festivals, professional athletic events, international sporting competitions such as the
Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games, as well as more eclectic attractions.
According to Alberta Economic Development, Edmonton and Calgary both host over four million visitors annually. Banff, Jasper and the Rocky Mountains are
visited by about three million people per year.
Alberta's Rocky Mountains include well known tourist destinations Banff National Park and Jasper National Park. The two mountain parks are connected by
the scenic Icefields Parkway. Banff is located 128km west of Calgary on Highway 1 and Jasper is located 366km west of Edmonton on Yellowhead Highway.
About 1.2 million people pass through the gates of Calgary's world-famous Stampede, a celebration of Canada's own Wild West and the cattle ranching
industry. About 800,000 people enjoy Edmonton's Capital Ex (formerly Klondike Days). Edmonton was the gateway to the only all-Canadian route to the
Yukon gold fields, and the only route which did not require gold-seekers to travel the exhausting and dangerous Chilkoot Pass.
Located in East-Central Alberta is Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions, a popular tourist attraction operated out of Stettler that draws visitors from
around the world. It boasts one of the few operable steam trains in the world, offering trips through the rolling prairie scenery. Alberta Prairie
Railway Excursions caters to 10's of thousands of visitors every year.
Alberta is an important destination for tourists who love to ski and hike; Alberta boasts several world-class ski resorts. Hunters and fishermen from
around the world are able to take home impressive trophies and tall tales from their experiences in Alberta's wilderness..............
Adopted from and read more at:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta |
