Alberta

19,531 km² (7,541 sq mi) (2. In 1958 the Alberta Government authorized the design of an official Flag. The original Coat of Arms of Alberta (formally known as The Arms of Her Majesty in Right of Alberta) was granted to Alberta by a Royal Warrant A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Edmonton (ˈɛdmɨntɨn is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. The table below lists the 100 largest municipalities in Canada by population, using data from the Canada 2006 census for Census subdivisions This list Calgary (ˈkælgəriː is the largest city in the Province of Alberta, Canada The table below lists the 100 largest metropolitan areas in Canada by population using data from the Canada 2001 Census[http //www12 The Calgary Region is the metropolitan area based around Calgary, Alberta. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Lieutenant Governor of Alberta is the vice-regal representative of the Queen of Canada in the province of Alberta. Norman Lim Kwong CM AOE (born Lim Kwong Yew, also known as Normie Kwong) (林佐民 Pinyin: Lín Zuǒmín born The Premier of Alberta is the First minister for the Canadian province of Alberta. Edward Michael Stelmach (ˈstɛlmæk (born May 11 1951 is the current Premier of Alberta, Canada having served in this capacity since December 14 2006 The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial right-of-centre party in the Canadian province of Alberta. The Parliament of Canada (Parlement du Canada is Canada 's legislative branch, seated at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. The House of Commons (Chambre des communes is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and The Senate of Canada (Le Sénat du Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the sovereign (represented by the governor general Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed beginning 1 July 1867 from the Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting The Northwest Territories (ˌnɔrθˌwɛstˈtɛrɨtɔriz ( NWT or NT; French, les Territoires du Nord-Ouest) is a territory A province is a territorial unit almost always an Administrative division. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of Canadian provinces 95%)

Population

Ranked 4th

Total (2008)

3,497,881 (est. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of Canadian provinces )^[1]

Density

5. 38 /km² (13. 9 /sq mi)

GDP

Ranked 3rd

Total (2006)

C$235. This article lists Canadian provinces and territories by gross domestic product. 593 billion^[2]

Per capita

C$69,789 (2nd)

Abbreviations

CA-AB

UTC-7

Flower

Wild rose

Tree

Lodgepole Pine

Bird

Great Horned Owl

Web site

www.alberta.ca

Rankings include all provinces and territories

Alberta (IPA: /ælˈbɝtə/) is one of Canada's prairie provinces. This article lists Canadian provinces and territories by gross domestic product. This is a list of Canadian provincial and territorial postal abbreviations. ISO 3166-2CA is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to Canada. Postal codes by province and territoryA Canadian postal code Alberta - 150 FSAs Rosa acicularis ( syn R alpina R bourgeauiana R gmelinii R karelica R Lodgepole Pine ( Pinus contorta) is a common Tree in western North America. The Great Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus, is a large owl native to North and South America The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second largest country in total area. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Canadian Prairies is a region in western Canada, which may correspond to several different definitions natural or political The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second largest country in total area. It became a province on September 1, 1905. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting

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. Western Canada, commonly referred to as the West, is a region of Canada normally including all parts of Canada west of the province British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Saskatchewan (səˈskætʃəwən) is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of 588276 The Northwest Territories (ˌnɔrθˌwɛstˈtɛrɨtɔriz ( NWT or NT; French, les Territoires du Nord-Ouest) is a territory A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government Montana ( is a state in the Western United States. One-third of the state in the western part contains numerous mountain ranges (approximately 77 named of the northern Alberta is one of three provinces and territories (the others being New Brunswick and Yukon) to border only a single U. New Brunswick ( French: Nouveau-Brunswick /nuvobʁɔnzwik/ is one of Canada 's three Maritime provinces and is the only constitutionally Yukon (ˈjuːkɒn is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three territories. S. state. It is also one of two provinces that are land-locked (the other being Saskatchewan).

The capital city of Alberta is Edmonton, located just south of the centre of the province. Edmonton (ˈɛdmɨntɨn is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. Calgary is a major distribution and transportation hub as well as being one of Canada's major commerce centres. Calgary (ˈkælgəriː is the largest city in the Province of Alberta, Canada Edmonton is the primary supply and service hub for Canada's oil sands and other northern resource industries. The Athabasca Oil Sands (also known as the Athabasca Tar Sands) are large deposits of Bitumen, or extremely Heavy crude oil, located in northeastern According to recent population estimates, these two metropolitan areas have now both exceeded 1 million people, Calgary being slightly more populous than Edmonton. ^[3] Other municipalities in the province include Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Camrose, Lloydminster, Wetaskiwin, Banff, Cold Lake, and Jasper. Communities of the Province of Alberta, Canada are incorporated as Towns cities and Villages or unincorporated ( hamlets Red Deer is a city in Central Alberta, Canada. It is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor, and is Alberta's Lethbridge (ˈlɛθbrɨdʒ is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada and the largest city in Southern Alberta. Medicine Hat, known to locals as "The Hat" is a city of 60000 people located in the southeastern part of the province of Fort McMurray is a community within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta. Camrose, a small Canadian city is situated in Central Alberta, amidst some of the richest farmland in the Prairies It is a relatively Lloydminster is a Canadian City which has the unusual geographic distinction of straddling a provincial Banff is the largest town in Banff National Park, in Alberta's Rockies, Canada. Cold Lake is a city in northeastern Alberta, Canada, named after the lake it is situated near Jasper is a specialized municipality in western Alberta, Canada.

Since December 14, 2006, the Premier of the province is Hon. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. In Canada, a premier is the Head of government of a province or territory. Ed Stelmach, Progressive Conservative. Edward Michael Stelmach (ˈstɛlmæk (born May 11 1951 is the current Premier of Alberta, Canada having served in this capacity since December 14 2006 The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial right-of-centre party in the Canadian province of Alberta.

Alberta is named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848–1939), the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. The Princess Louise (Louise Caroline Alberta Marchioness of Lorne and Duchess of Argyll by marriage 18 March 1848 &ndash 3 December 1939 was a member of the Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Princess Louise was the wife of the Marquess of Lorne, Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883. For other persons of the same name see John Campbell or Duke of Argyll. The Governor General of Canada ( French: Gouverneure générale du Canada, or: Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative Lake Louise, the village of Caroline, and Mount Alberta were also named in honour of Princess Louise. Lake Louise is a hamlet located in the Canadian province of Alberta in Banff National Park. Caroline is a village in central Alberta, Canada. It is located southwest of Red Deer. Mount Alberta is a Mountain located in the upper Athabasca River Valley of Jasper National Park.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Alberta

Alberta is in western Canada, and covers an area of 661,190 km² (255,287 mi²). Alberta is a province in western Canada with an area 661190 km² (260000 mi² Western Canada, commonly referred to as the West, is a region of Canada normally including all parts of Canada west of the province ^[4] To the south, it borders the U. S. state of Montana on the 49th Parallel. The 49th parallel north is a Circle of latitude that is 49 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. To the east at a longitude of 110° west, it borders the province of Saskatchewan. At 60° north, 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° west, at which point the border follows this meridian to 60° north. British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a Mountain range in western North America. A continental divide is a line of elevated Terrain which forms a border between two watersheds such that Water falling on one side of the line eventually

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. Swimming is the movement by humans or animals through Water, usually without artificial assistance Water skiing is a Sport where an individual (or more than one individual is pulled behind a Motor boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water wearing For the computer security term see Phishing. Fishing is the activity of catching Fish. There are three large lakes and a multitude of smaller lakes less than 260 km² each. Part of Lake Athabasca (7,898 km²) lies in the province of Saskatchewan. Lake Claire (1,436 km²) lies just west of Lake Athabasca in Wood Buffalo National Park. Wood Buffalo National Park, located in northeastern Alberta and southern Northwest Territories, is the largest National park in Canada at Lesser Slave Lake (1,168 km²) is northwest of Edmonton. Edmonton (ˈɛdmɨntɨn is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta.

Moraine Lake in Banff National Park

Because Alberta extends for 1,200 km from north to south, and about 600 km wide at its greatest east-west extent, it is natural that its climate should vary considerably. It is also further influenced by its elevation since the province is a high plateau. The elevation ranges from about &0000000000001000. 0000001,000 metres in the south (Calgary is about &0000000000001100. 0000001,100 metres and Red Deer is about 850 m) to 650 metres in the north. The presence of a wall of mountains on the west and open prairies on the east also influences the weather.

Northern Alberta is mostly covered by boreal forest and has fewer frost-free days than southern Alberta, which has a semi-arid climate. Taiga (ˈtaɪgə from Turkic or Mongolian) is a Biome characterized by Coniferous forests The southeastern corner of Alberta experiences greater summer heat and lower rainfall than the rest of the province. Western Alberta is protected by the mountains, and enjoys the mild temperatures brought by winter chinook winds, while southeastern Alberta is a generally flat, dry prairie with some hills, where temperatures are most extreme. Chinook winds, often just called chinooks commonly refers to Foehn winds ref> in the interior West of North America, where the Canadian Prairies and They can range from very cold (−35 °C (−31 °F) or lower in the winter) to very hot (38 °C (100 °F) or higher in the summer). Central and parts of northwestern Alberta in the Peace River region are largely aspen parkland, a biome transitional between prairie to the south and boreal forest to the north. Aspen parkland refers to a transitional biome between Prairie and Boreal forest stretching from northeastern British Columbia through central and northwestern A biome is a climatically and geographically defined area of ecologically similar climatic conditions such as communities of Plants Animals and Prairie, from the French prairie ("meadow" "grassland" "pasture" refers to an area of land of low topographic relief that historically After southern Ontario, Central Alberta is the most likely region in Canada to experience tornadoes. Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec A tornado is a violent rotating column of air which is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a Cumulonimbus cloud or in rare cases the base of a Cumulus Thunderstorms, some of them severe, are frequent in the summer, especially in central and southern Alberta. The region surrounding the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor is notable for having the highest frequency of hail in Canada, due to the role of orographic lifting from the nearby Rocky Mountains which enhances the updraft/downdraft cycle necessary for the formation of hail. The Calgary-Edmonton Corridor is a geographical region of the Canadian province of Alberta. Hail is a form of precipitation which consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice (hailstones

Overall, Alberta has cold winters, with a temperature average ranging from −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). Chinook winds, often just called chinooks commonly refers to Foehn winds ref> in the interior West of North America, where the Canadian Prairies and 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. The south and east-central portions are prone to drought-like conditions sometimes persisting over periods of years, although even these areas can receive heavy precipitation. Alberta experiences a good amount of sunshine for its northern location owing to its fairly dry climate; the east-central part of the province (bordering Saskatchewan), is the sunniest place in Canada with an average of over &0000000000002500. 0000002,500 hours a year.

Calgary

Edmonton

Distribution of cities in Alberta

Calgary

Edmonton

Alberta's capital city, Edmonton, is located almost in the geographic centre of the province, and most of Alberta's oil is refined here. Airdrie ( 2007 city population 31512 is a city in Alberta, Canada, located just north of Calgary Brooks is a City in Southern Alberta, southeast of Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway, and the Canadian Pacific Calgary (ˈkælgəriː is the largest city in the Province of Alberta, Canada Camrose, a small Canadian city is situated in Central Alberta, amidst some of the richest farmland in the Prairies It is a relatively Cold Lake is a city in northeastern Alberta, Canada, named after the lake it is situated near Edmonton (ˈɛdmɨntɨn is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. Leduc (ləˈduːk is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. Lethbridge (ˈlɛθbrɨdʒ is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada and the largest city in Southern Alberta. Lloydminster is a Canadian City which has the unusual geographic distinction of straddling a provincial Medicine Hat, known to locals as "The Hat" is a city of 60000 people located in the southeastern part of the province of Red Deer is a city in Central Alberta, Canada. It is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor, and is Alberta's Spruce Grove is a city in the vicinity of Edmonton, Alberta. Like nearby Stony Plain it is surrounded by St Albert is a city in Alberta, located northwest of Edmonton, on the Sturgeon River. Calgary (ˈkælgəriː is the largest city in the Province of Alberta, Canada Edmonton (ˈɛdmɨntɨn is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton (ˈɛdmɨntɨn is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. A refinery is composed of a group of Chemical engineering unit processes and Unit operations used for Refining certain materials or converting Southern Alberta, where Calgary is located, is known for its ranching. A ranch is an area of landscape including various structures given primarily to the practice of ranching the practice of raising grazing livestock such as Cattle Much of the unforested part of Alberta is given over either to grain or to dairy farming, with ranching and grasslands predominant in the south. Dairy farming is a class of agricultural, or an Animal husbandry enterprise for long-term production of Milk, which may be either processed on-site or Grasslands (also called greenswards) are areas where the Vegetation is dominated by Grasses ( Poaceae) and other Herbaceous (non-woody

The Alberta badlands are located in southeastern Alberta, where the Red Deer River crosses the flat prairie and farmland, and features deep gorges and striking landforms. Badlands are a type of Arid Terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and Clay -rich Soils have been extensively eroded by Wind Red Deer River is a River in Alberta, Canada. It is a major Tributary of the South Saskatchewan River. For the song see CANYONMID. For the band see Canyon (band. A canyon (rarely cañon) or gorge Dinosaur Provincial Park, near Brooks, Alberta, showcases the badlands terrain, desert flora, and remnants from Alberta's past when dinosaurs roamed the then lush landscape. Dinosaur Provincial Park is a World Heritage Site located about a two hours drive east of Calgary, Alberta, Canada or northeast of Brooks is a City in Southern Alberta, southeast of Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway, and the Canadian Pacific A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation. In Botany, flora ( Plural: floras or florae has two meanings The first meaning flora of an area or of time period, refers to all

Alberta is one of only two Canadian provinces to have no maritime coast (the other being the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan. )

Largest municipalities and metro areas by population

Census Metropolitan Areas:	2006	2001	1996
Calgary CMA	1,079,310	951,395	821,628
Edmonton CMA	1,034,945	937,845	862,597
Cities (10 Largest):
Calgary	1,019,942	878,866	768,082
Edmonton	730,372	666,104	616,306
Red Deer	82,772	67,707	60,080
Lethbridge	74,637	67,374	63,053
St. Albert (included in Edmonton CMA)	57,719	53,081	46,888
Medicine Hat	56,997	51,249	46,783
Grande Prairie	47,076	36,983	31,353
Airdrie (included in Calgary CMA)	28,927	20,382	15,946
Spruce Grove (included in Edmonton CMA)	19,496	15,983	14,271
Leduc (included in Edmonton CMA)	16,967	15,032	14,346
Districts (3 Largest):
Strathcona County (included in Edmonton CMA)	82,511	71,986	64,176
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo	51,496	42,581	35,213
Municipality of Rocky View (included in Calgary CMA)	34,171	29,925	23,326

Economy

Main article: Economy of Alberta

Alberta's economy is one of the strongest in Canada, supported by the burgeoning petroleum industry and to a lesser extent, agriculture and technology. The census geographic units of Canada are the Country subdivisions defined and used by Canada's federal government statistics bureau Statistics Canada to The Calgary Region is the metropolitan area based around Calgary, Alberta. The Edmonton Capital Region (ECR, also known as Greater Edmonton or the Alberta Capital Region comprises Alberta 's provincial capital of Edmonton and surrounding Calgary (ˈkælgəriː is the largest city in the Province of Alberta, Canada Edmonton (ˈɛdmɨntɨn is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. Red Deer is a city in Central Alberta, Canada. It is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor, and is Alberta's Lethbridge (ˈlɛθbrɨdʒ is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada and the largest city in Southern Alberta. St Albert is a city in Alberta, located northwest of Edmonton, on the Sturgeon River. Medicine Hat, known to locals as "The Hat" is a city of 60000 people located in the southeastern part of the province of Airdrie ( 2007 city population 31512 is a city in Alberta, Canada, located just north of Calgary Spruce Grove is a city in the vicinity of Edmonton, Alberta. Like nearby Stony Plain it is surrounded by Leduc (ləˈduːk is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. Strathcona County is a Specialized municipality in central Alberta, Canada between Edmonton and Elk Island National The Regional municipality of Wood Buffalo is located in northeastern Alberta. The Municipal District of Rocky View No 44 is a municipality located outside of the City of Calgary, in southern Alberta. Alberta's economy is one of the strongest in Canada supported by the burgeoning petroleum industry and to a lesser extent agriculture and technology The per capita GDP in 2006 was by far the highest of any province in Canada at C$69,789. This was 56% higher than the national average and more than twice that of some of the Atlantic provinces. This deviation from the national average was the largest for any province in Canadian history. ^[5]

The Calgary-Edmonton Corridor is the most urbanized region in the province and one of the densest in Canada. Measured from north to south, the region covers a distance of roughly 400 kilometres. In 2001, the population of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor was 2. 15 million (72% of Alberta's population). ^[6] It is also one of the fastest growing regions in the country. A 2003 study by TD Bank Financial Group found the corridor to be the only Canadian urban centre to amass a U. S level of wealth while maintaining a Canadian-style quality of life, offering universal health care benefits. The study found that GDP per capita in the corridor is 10 percent above average U. S. metropolitan areas and 40 percent above other Canadian cities.

According to the Fraser Institute, Alberta also has very high levels of economic freedom. The Fraser Institute is Conservative and Libertarian Think tank based in Canada that espouses Free market principles Economic freedom is freedom to produce trade and consume any goods and services acquired without the use of force fraud or theft It is by far the most free economy in Canada,^[7] and is rated as the 4th most free economy of U. S. States and Canadian Provinces. ^[8]

Industry

Mildred Lake mine site and plant at the Athabasca Oil Sands

Alberta is the largest producer of conventional crude oil, synthetic crude, natural gas and gas products in the country. The Athabasca Oil Sands (also known as the Athabasca Tar Sands) are large deposits of Bitumen, or extremely Heavy crude oil, located in northeastern Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Synthetic crude is the output from a bitumen/extra heavy oil Upgrader facility used in connection with Oil sand production Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, Alberta is the world’s 2nd largest exporter of natural gas and the 4th largest producer. ^[9] Two of the largest producers of petrochemicals in North America are located in central and north central Alberta. Petrochemicals are chemical products made from raw materials of Petroleum or other Hydrocarbon origin In both Red Deer and Edmonton, world class polyethylene and vinyl manufacturers produce products shipped all over the world, and Edmonton's oil refineries provide the raw materials for a large petrochemical industry to the east of Edmonton. Polyethylene or polythene ( IUPAC name poly(ethene) is a Thermoplastic commodity heavily used in consumer products (notably the A vinyl compound is any Organic compound that contains a vinyl group (also called ethenyl) &minus C[[Hydrogen H]] =CH sub>2 An oil refinery is an industrial Process plant where Crude oil is processed and refined into more useful Petroleum products, such as Gasoline Petrochemicals are chemical products made from raw materials of Petroleum or other Hydrocarbon origin

The Athabasca Oil Sands (sometimes known as the Athabasca Tar sands) have estimated non-conventional oil reserves approximately equal to the conventional oil reserves of the rest of the world, estimated to be 1. The Athabasca Oil Sands (also known as the Athabasca Tar Sands) are large deposits of Bitumen, or extremely Heavy crude oil, located in northeastern Non-conventional oil is oil produced or extracted using techniques other than the traditional Oil well method Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit 6 trillion barrels (254 km³). With the development of new extraction methods such as steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), which was developed in Alberta, bitumen and synthetic crude oil can be produced at costs close to those of conventional crude. Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD is an Enhanced oil recovery technology for producing Heavy crude oil and Bitumen. Many companies employ both conventional strip mining and non-conventional in situ methods to extract the bitumen from the oil sands. Surface mining is a type of Mining in which soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit are removed In situ (ɪn siːˈtuː is a Latin phrase meaning in the place. Bitumen is a mixture of organic Liquids that are highly Viscous, black sticky entirely soluble in Carbon disulfide, and composed primarily With current technology and at current prices, about 315 billion barrels (50 km³) of bitumen are recoverable. Fort McMurray, one of Canada's fastest growing cities, has grown enormously in recent years because of the large corporations which have taken on the task of oil production. Fort McMurray is a community within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta. As of late 2006 there were over $100 billion in oil sands projects under construction or in the planning stages in northeastern Alberta. ^[10]

Another factor determining the viability of oil extraction from the Tar Sands is the price of oil. The oil price increases since 2003 have made it more than profitable to extract this oil, which in the past would give little profit or even a loss.

With concerted effort and support from the provincial government, several high-tech industries have found their birth in Alberta, notably patents related to interactive liquid crystal display systems. ^[11] With a growing economy, Alberta has several financial institutions dealing with civil and private funds.

Agriculture and forestry

Canola field in central Alberta

Agriculture has a significant position in the province's economy. Canola is a type of Edible oil derived from plants initially bred in Canada by Keith Downey and Baldur Stefansson in the 1970s Central Alberta (also named Alberta's Heartland) is a Region located in the Canadian province of Alberta. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Over three million cattle are residents of the province at one time or another,^[12] and Alberta beef has a healthy worldwide market. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family Nearly one half of all Canadian beef is produced in Alberta. Alberta is one of the prime producers of plains buffalo (bison) for the consumer market. The American bison ( Bison bison) is a Bovine Mammal, also commonly known as the American buffalo. Sheep for wool and mutton are also raised. Wool is the fiber derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles of animals in the Caprinae family principally sheep, but the hair of certain species Lamb, hogget, and mutton are the meat of Domestic sheep. The meat of an animal in its first year is lamb; that of an older sheep is hogget Sheep husbandry is the raising and breeding of Domestic sheep, and a subcategory of Animal husbandry.

Grain elevator in southern Alberta

Wheat and canola are primary farm crops, with Alberta leading the provinces in spring wheat production, with other grains also prominent. Southern Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta. Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Canola is a type of Edible oil derived from plants initially bred in Canada by Keith Downey and Baldur Stefansson in the 1970s Much of the farming is dryland farming, often with fallow seasons interspersed with cultivation. Continuous cropping (in which there is no fallow season) is gradually becoming a more common mode of production because of increased profits and a reduction of soil erosion. Across the province, the once common grain elevator is slowly being lost as rail lines are decreased and farmers now truck the grain to central points. History Grain elevators are a common sight in the grain-growing areas of the world such as the North American Prairies Larger terminal elevators are

Alberta is the leading beekeeping province of Canada, with some beekeepers wintering hives indoors in specially designed barns in southern Alberta, then migrating north during the summer into the Peace River valley where the season is short but the working days are long for honeybees to produce honey from clover and fireweed. Beekeeping (or apiculture, from Latin apis, Bee) is the maintenance of Honey bee colonies commonly in Hives A beehive is in a general sense an enclosed structure in which some species of Honey bees (genus Apis) live and raise their young This article is about the river For the town in Alberta see Peace River Alberta. Alsike redirects here Alsike Sweden is also a town in the Knivsta Municipality, Sweden. Fireweed or (mainly in Britain) Rosebay Willowherb ( Epilobium angustifolium) is a perennial Herbaceous Plant in the willowherb Hybrid canola also requires bee pollination, and some beekeepers service this need. In Biology, hybrid has two meanings The first meaning is the result of interbreeding between two animals or plants of different taxa. Bees are flying Insects closely related to Wasps and Ants Bees are a Monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea Pollination in angiosperms and Gymnosperms is the process that transfers pollen grains, which contain the male Gametes (sperm to where the female

The vast northern forest reserves of softwood allow Alberta to produce large quantities of lumber, oriented strand board (OSB) and plywood, and several plants in northern Alberta supply North America and the Pacific Rim nations with bleached wood pulp and newsprint. A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria Softwood is a generic term used in Woodworking and the Lumber industries for Wood from Conifers (needle-bearing trees from the order Pinales Lumber or timber is Wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural Material for Construction, or Oriented strand board, or OSB, or waferboard or Sterling board (UK is an Engineered wood product formed by layering strands (flakes of Plywood is a type of Engineered board made from thin sheets of Wood, called plies or veneers The Pacific Rim refers to the countries and cities located around the edge of the Pacific Ocean. A nation is a Human Cultural and Social Community. In as much as most members never meet each other yet feel a common bond it may be considered Wood pulp is a dry fibrous material prepared by chemically or mechanically separating the fibers which make up Wood. Newsprint is low-cost non-archival Paper most commonly used to print Newspapers plus other publications and advertising material

Government

Main articles: Politics of Alberta and Monarchy in Alberta

The government of Alberta is organized as a parliamentary democracy with a unicameral legislature. The politics of Alberta are centred on a provincial government resembling that of the other Canadian provinces, namely a Constitutional monarchy The Monarchy in Alberta is the Constitutional system of government in which a hereditary Monarch is the sovereign and Head of state of the A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system Its unicameral legislature—the Legislative Assembly—consists of eighty-three members. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta.

Locally municipal governments and school boards are elected and operate separately. Their boundaries may or may not coincide. Municipalities where the same body acted as both local government and school board are formally referred to as "counties" in Alberta.

As Canada's head of state, Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state for the Government of Alberta. Her duties in Alberta are carried out by Lieutenant Governor, Norman Kwong. Although the Lieutenant Governor is technically the most powerful person in Alberta, (s)he is in reality a figurehead whose actions are restricted by custom and constitutional convention. In politics a figurehead, by Metaphor with the carved figurehead at the prow of a sailing ship is a person who holds an important title or office yet executes little Alternative meaning Constitutional convention (political meeting A constitutional convention is an informal and uncodified procedural agreement that is The government is therefore headed by the Premier. The Premier of Alberta is the First minister for the Canadian province of Alberta. The current Premier is Ed Stelmach who was elected as leader of the governing Progressive Conservatives on December 2, 2006. Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Stelmach was sworn in as the 13th Alberta premier on December 15, 2006. Events 533 - Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

Alberta's Legislative Building in Edmonton.

As is always the case in a parliamentary system of government, the Premier is a Member of the Legislative Assembly, and he draws all the members of his Cabinet from among the Members of the Legislative Assembly.

The City of Edmonton is the seat of the provincial government—the capital of Alberta.

The province's revenue comes mainly from the taxation of oil, natural gas, beef, softwood lumber, and wheat, but also includes a tax on corporate and personal income, gaming revenue, and grants from the federal government primarily for infrastructure projects. The Canadian Government, formally Her Majesty's Government in Canada, is the Federal government of Canada. Infrastructure typically refers to the technical structures that support a society such as Roads Water supply, Wastewater, Power grids Albertans are the lowest-taxed people in Canada, and Alberta is the only province in Canada without a provincial sales tax (though residents are still subject to the federal sales tax, the Goods and Services Tax). A sales tax is a Consumption tax charged at the Point of purchase for certain goods and services The Canadian Goods and Services Tax ( GST) ( French:) is a multi-level Value-added tax introduced in Canada on January 1, 1991 Alberta's municipalities and school jurisdictions have their own governments which (usually) work in co-operation with the provincial government.

Alberta's elections tend to yield results which are much more conservative than those of other Canadian provinces. Alberta has traditionally had three political parties, the Progressive Conservatives ("Conservatives" or "Tories"), the Liberals, and the social democratic New Democrats. The Alberta Liberal Party is a political party in Alberta, Canada. The Alberta New Democratic Party or Alberta NDP is a Social democratic Political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded as the A fourth party, the strongly conservative Social Credit Party, was a power in Alberta for many decades, but fell from the political map after the Progressive Conservatives came to power in 1971. The Social Credit Party of Alberta is a provincial Political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the Social credit monetary policy Since that time, no other political party has governed Alberta. In fact, only four parties have governed Alberta: the Liberals, from 1905 to 1921; the United Farmers of Alberta, from 1921 to 1935; the Social Credit Party, from 1935 to 1971, and the currently governing Progressive Conservative Party, from 1971 to the present. The United Farmers of Alberta (UFA is an Agricultural supply cooperative headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

As is the case with many western Canadian provinces, Alberta has had occasional surges in separatist sentiment. Even during the 1980s, when these feelings were at their strongest, there has never been enough interest in secession to initiate any major movements or referendums. There are a number of groups wishing to promote the independence of Alberta in some form currently active in the province. See also: Alberta separatism. Alberta separatism is a movement that advocates the Secession of the province of Alberta from Canada either by forming an independent nation or by

In the 2008 provincial election, held on March 3, 2008, the Progressive Conservative Party was re-elected as a majority government with 72 of 83 seats, the Alberta Liberal Party was elected as the Official Opposition with nine members, and the Alberta New Democratic Party elected two members. Alberta's 27th general election was held on March 3 2008. It was expected to be called early because the governing Progressive Conservatives held a Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The Alberta Liberal Party is a political party in Alberta, Canada. The Alberta New Democratic Party or Alberta NDP is a Social democratic Political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded as the ^[13]

See also: List of Alberta Premiers and List of Alberta general elections

Education

Main article: Education in Alberta

Heritage Hall at SAIT Polytechnic

As with any Canadian province, the Alberta Legislature has (almost) exclusive authority to make laws respecting education. list of premiers of Alberta consists of all thirteen leaders of government of the Canadian province of Alberta, Canada since it was created in Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->article provides a summary of results As with any Canadian province, the Alberta Legislature has (almost exclusive authority to make laws respecting education Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, or SAIT (say-t as it's referred to locally is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Since 1905 the Legislature has used this capacity to continue the model of locally elected public and separate school boards which originated prior to 1905, as well as to create and/or regulate universities, colleges, technical institutions and other educational forms and institutions (public charter schools, private schools, home schooling).

K–12

There are forty-two public school jurisdictions in Alberta, and seventeen operating separate school jurisdictions. Sixteen of the operating separate school jurisdictions have a Roman Catholic electorate, and one (St. Albert) has a Protestant electorate. St Albert is a city in Alberta, located northwest of Edmonton, on the Sturgeon River. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. In addition, one Protestant separate school district, Glen Avon, survives as a ward of the St. Paul Education Region. The City of Lloydminster straddles the Alberta/Saskatchewan border, and both the public and separate school systems in that city are counted in the above numbers: both of them operate according to Saskatchewan law.

For many years the provincial government has funded the greater part of the cost of providing K–12 education. The Executive Council of Alberta (informally and more commonly the Cabinet of Alberta) is the cabinet of that Canadian province. Prior to 1994 public and separate school boards in Alberta had the legislative authority to levy a local tax on property, as supplementary support for local education. In 1994 the government of the province eliminated this right for public school boards, but not for separate school boards. Since 1994 there has continued to be a tax on property in support of K–12 education; the difference is that the mill rate is now set by the provincial government, the money is collected by the local municipal authority and remitted to the provincial government. The relevant legislation requires that all the money raised by this property tax must go to the support of K–12 education provided by school boards. The provincial government pools the property tax funds from across the province and distributes them, according to a formula, to public and separate school jurisdictions and Francophone authorities.

Public and separate school boards, charter schools, and private schools all follow the Program of Studies and the curriculum approved by the provincial department of education (Alberta Education). The term public school has two distinct (and virtually opposite meanings depending on the location of usage in the United States, Australia and Charter schools are elementary or secondary schools in the United States that receive public money but For the film of this title see Private School (film. Private schools, or Independent schools are Schools not administered Home schoolers may choose to follow the Program of Studies or develop their own Program of Studies. Public and separate schools, charter schools, and approved private schools all employ teachers who are certificated by Alberta Education, they administer Provincial Achievement Tests and Diploma Examinations set by Alberta Education, and they may grant high school graduation certificates endorsed by Alberta Education.

Post-secondary

Alberta's oldest and largest university is Edmonton's University of Alberta. The University of Alberta (U of A is a public research University located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The University of Calgary, once affiliated with the University of Alberta, gained its autonomy in 1966, and is now the second largest university in Alberta. The University of Calgary is a research-intensive Public university in Calgary Alberta, Canada. There is also Athabasca University, which focuses on distance learning, and the University of Lethbridge. Athabasca University, headquartered in Athabasca Alberta, is a fully accredited institution specialized in the delivery of Distance education The University of Lethbridge (also known as U of L) is a public university in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. There are 15 colleges that receive direct public funding, along with two technical institutes, NAIT and SAIT. The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology ( NAIT) is located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and provides technical training and applied Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, or SAIT (say-t as it's referred to locally is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. ^[14] There is also a large and active private sector of post-secondary institutions, including DeVry University. DeVry University and DeVry Institute of Technology are divisions of Devry Inc Students may also receive government loans and grants while attending selected private institutions. There has been some controversy in recent years over the rising cost of post-secondary education for students (as opposed to taxpayers). In 2005, Premier Ralph Klein made a promise that he would freeze tuition and look into ways of reducing schooling costs. ^[15] So far, no plan has been released by the government of Alberta.

Infrastructure

David Thompson Highway outside of Banff National Park

Alberta has over 180,000 km of highways and roads, of which nearly 50,000 km are paved. Banff National Park (ˈbæmf is Canada's oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Canadian Rockies. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Before adding any more images to this * * page please do carefully consider * * whether they would be mere decoration * * or actually improve The main north-south corridor is Highway 2, which begins south of Cardston at the Carway border crossing and is part of the CANAMEX Corridor. Highway 2 is the most important provincial Highway in the Canadian province of Alberta. Cardston is a town in southwest Alberta, Canada. Cardston was settled in 1887 by Mormons from Utah Carway is a small hamlet located in the extreme south of Alberta and is an entry point into Montana at Port of Peigan Montana. The CANAMEX corridor is a corridor linking Canada to Mexico through the United States. Highway 4, which effectively extends U.S. Interstate Highway 15 into Alberta and is the busiest U. Highway 4 forms the most southern leg of the CANAMEX Corridor highway system in Alberta. Interstate 15 (I-15 is the fourth-longest north-south transcontinental interstate highway in the United States, traveling through the states of California S. gateway to the province, begins at the Coutts border crossing and ends at Lethbridge. Coutts is a village in Alberta and the location of one of the busiest Canada – US Border crossings in Highway 3 joins Lethbridge to Fort Macleod and links Highway 4 to Highway 2. The Crowsnest Highway, also known as the Interprovincial or in British Columbia the Southern Trans-Provincial, is a 1163 km (722 mile long principal Fort Macleod is a town in the southwest corner of the Province of Alberta, Canada. Highway 2 travels northward through Fort Macleod, Calgary, Red Deer, and Edmonton before dividing into two highways. The section of Highway 2 between Calgary and Edmonton has been named the Queen Elizabeth II Highway to commemorate the visit of the monarch in 2005. Highway 2 is the most important provincial Highway in the Canadian province of Alberta. Past Edmonton, one branch continues northwest as Highway 43 into Grande Prairie and the Peace River Country; the other (Highway 63) travels northeast to Fort McMurray, the location of the Athabasca Oil Sands. Highway 43 is the main Alberta highway stretching from the Yellowhead just directly west of Edmonton to the Alberta/ British Columbia The Peace River Country (or Peace Country) is Prairie land around the Peace River in Canada. Highway 63 is the main highway from a point on Highway 28 about 6 km (4 miles southwest of the hamlet of Radway to Fort McMurray and further north The Athabasca Oil Sands (also known as the Athabasca Tar Sands) are large deposits of Bitumen, or extremely Heavy crude oil, located in northeastern Highway 2 is supplemented by two more highways that run parallel to it: Highway 22, west of highway 2, known as "the cowboy trail," and Highway 21, east of highway 2. Highway 22 is a highway in Alberta, Canada. The highway has been billed as the Cowboy Trail by Travel Alberta since it passes Highway 21 is a major north-south Highway in the Canadian province of Alberta.

Alberta has two main east-west corridors. The southern corridor, part of the Trans-Canada Highway system, enters the province near Medicine Hat, runs westward through Calgary, and leaves Alberta through Banff National Park. The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial Highway system that joins all ten provinces of Canada. Banff National Park (ˈbæmf is Canada's oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Canadian Rockies. The northern corridor, also part of the Trans-Canada network but known alternatively as the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16), runs west from Lloydminster in eastern Alberta, through Edmonton and Jasper National Park into British Columbia. The Yellowhead Highway is a major east-west highway connecting the four western Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan Highway 16 is central and northern Alberta 's primary east-west highway Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, spanning 10878 km² (4200 mi² British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C On a sunny spring or fall day, one of the most scenic drives is along the Icefields Parkway, which runs for 228 km between Jasper and Lake Louise, with mountain ranges and glaciers on either side of its entire length. The Icefields Parkway ( French Promenade des Glaciers) also known as Highway 93

Current Current Alberta licence plate

Another major corridor through central Alberta is Highway 11 (also known as the David Thompson Highway), which runs west from the Saskatchewan River Crossing in Banff National Park through Rocky Mountain House and Red Deer, connecting with Highway 12 20 km west of Stettler. The Canadian province of Alberta first required its residents to register their Motor vehicles and display Licence plates in 1912 Highway 11 is a major highway in central Alberta. It is known as the David Thompson Highway, and runs from Saskatchewan River Crossing in There are several men named David Thompson: In exploration David Thompson (less commonly Thomson — founder (1623 of the first European settlement in Saskatchewan River Crossing in Alberta Saskatchewan River Crossing Rocky Mountain House is a Town in west- Central Alberta, Canada, at the confluence of the Clearwater The Red Deer ( Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest Deer species Highway 12 is an East-West highway through central Alberta It spans from the Alberta- Saskatchewan border to Highway 22. The highway connects many of the smaller towns in central Alberta with Calgary and Edmonton, as it crosses Highway 2 just west of Red Deer.

Urban stretches of Alberta's major highways and freeways are often called trails. For example, Highway 2, the main north-south highway in the province, is called Deerfoot Trail as it passes through Calgary, but becomes Calgary Trail as it enters Edmonton and then turns into Saint Albert Trail as it leaves Edmonton for the city of St. Albert. Deerfoot Trail is a freeway section of Highway 2 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Calgary Trail is a major southbound One-way street in Edmonton, Alberta. St Albert is a city in Alberta, located northwest of Edmonton, on the Sturgeon River. Calgary, in particular, has a tradition of calling its largest urban expressways trails and naming many of them after prominent first nations individuals and tribes, such as Crowchild Trail, Deerfoot Trail, and Stoney Trail. An expressway is a Divided highway for high-speed traffic with at least partial Control of access. First Nations is a term of Ethnicity that refers to the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis people Crowchild Trail is an Expressway located on the west side of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Deerfoot Trail is a freeway section of Highway 2 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Highway 201 is a Highway in the province of Alberta. Although the highway is given a three-digit designation it is considered a primary highway and not a secondary Visitors from outside Alberta often find this disconcerting, as they expect a trail to be an unpaved route intended primarily for pedestrians and not a multi-lane expressway. A pedestrian is a person travelling on foot whether Walking or Running.

See also: List of Alberta provincial highways

Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Medicine Hat, and Lethbridge have substantial public transit systems. This is a list of Alberta 's primary and secondary Highways. In addition to buses, Edmonton and Calgary operate light rail transit (LRT) systems. For specific light rail systems many of which use the words "light rail" as part of their name see List of light-rail transit systems. Edmonton LRT, which is largely underground, was the first of the modern generation of light rail systems to be built in North America, while the Calgary C-Train, although it operates almost entirely on the surface, has the highest ridership of any LRT system in North America. Edmonton Light Rail Transit, more commonly referred to as the LRT is a Light rail system in Edmonton, Alberta. C-Train is the Light rail transit (LRT system in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Alberta is well-connected by air, with international airports at both Edmonton and Calgary. An international airport is an Airport typically equipped with Customs and Immigration facilities to handle international flights to and from other Calgary International Airport and Edmonton International Airport are the fourth and fifth busiest in Canada respectively. The following is a list of Canada's busiest airports by aircraft movements (how busy the runways are and passengers traffic (how busy the terminals are Calgary's airport is a hub for WestJet Airlines and a regional hub for Air Canada. An airport is a location where Aircraft such as airplanes, Helicopters and blimps take off and land WestJet Airlines Ltd ( is a Canadian Low-cost carrier based in Calgary Alberta, that flies to most major cities in Canada and serves destinations Air Canada () is Canada 's largest Airline and Flag carrier. The airline founded in 1937 has had its corporate headquarters in Montreal Calgary's airport primarily serves the Canadian prairie provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba) for connecting flights to British Columbia, eastern Canada, 15 major US centres, nine European airports, and four destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting ^[16] Edmonton's airport acts as a hub for the Canadian north and has connections to all major Canadian airports as well as 10 major US airports, 3 European airports and 6 Mexican and Caribbean airports.

See also: List of airports in Alberta

There are over 9000 km of operating mainline railway, and many tourists see Alberta aboard Via Rail or Rocky Mountain Railtours. This is a complete list of Airports water Aerodromes and Heliports in the Canadian province of Alberta. VIA Rail Canada (also referred to as VIA Rail and VIA; ˈviːə 'vee-ah' is an independent Crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail The Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National Railway companies operate railway freight across the province. The Canadian Pacific Railway ( Cargo (or freight) refers to goods or produce transported generally for Commercial gain by ship, aircraft, train,

Health care in Alberta is divided into nine health regions: Aspen Regional Health Authority: Calgary Health Region, Capital Health (Edmonton), Chinook Health, David Thompson Regional Health Authority, East Central Health, Northern Lights Health Region, Palliser Health Region and Peace Country Health Region. Health care is the prevention treatment and management of illness and the preservation of mental health through the services offered by the medical, Nursing Health regions of Canada are used to administer Public health to Canadians. Aspen Regional Health Authority is the governing body for Healthcare regulation in an area of the Canadian province of Alberta. Calgary Health Region is the governing body for Healthcare regulation in an area of the Canadian province of Alberta. Capital Health is a public health authority providing complete health services to Edmonton, Alberta's capital city and its surrounding central Alberta communities Chinook Health administers public health services in southwestern Alberta, Canada. David Thompson Regional Health Authority is the governing body for Healthcare regulation in an area of the Canadian province of Alberta. East Central Health is the governing body for Healthcare regulation in an area of the Canadian province of Alberta. Northern Lights Health Region is the governing body for Healthcare regulation in an area of the Canadian province of Alberta. Palliser Health Region is the governing body for Healthcare regulation in an area of the Canadian province of Alberta. Peace Country Health Region is the governing body for Healthcare regulation in an area of the Canadian province of Alberta.

Culture

Calgary Stampede

Main article: Culture of Alberta

Summer brings many festivals to the province of Alberta. The Calgary Stampede, which bills itself as The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, is a large Festival, exhibition, and Rodeo held in Summer brings many festivals to the province of Alberta. Edmonton's Fringe Festival is the world's second largest after Edinburgh 's The Edmonton Fringe Festival is the world's second largest after Edinburgh's. The Edmonton Fringe Festival is an annual event held every August in Edmonton Alberta in Canada Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. The Folk music festivals in both Calgary and Edmonton are two of Canada's largest and both cities host a number of annual multicultural events. With a large number of summer and winter events, Edmonton prides itself as being the "Festival City". The city's "heritage days" festival sees the participation of over 70 national groups. The Edmonton Heritage Festival is an annual celebration of Alberta 's ethnic diversity Calgary is also home to Carifest, the second largest Caribbean festival in the nation (after Caribana in Toronto). Caribana is a festival of Caribbean culture and traditions held each summer in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario The city is also famous for its Calgary Stampede, dubbed "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. The Calgary Stampede, which bills itself as The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, is a large Festival, exhibition, and Rodeo held in " The Stampede is Canada's biggest rodeo festival and features various races and competitions, like calf roping and bull riding. These events highlight the province's cultural diversity and love of entertainment. Most of the major cities have several performing theatre companies who entertain in venues as diverse as Edmonton's Arts Barns and the Francis Winspear Centre for Music. The Francis Winspear Centre for Music is a Performing arts centre located in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

See also: Festivals in Alberta

Alberta also has significant ethnic diversity. Both the Chinese and East Indian communities are significant. Chinese Canadians are Canadians of Chinese descent and constitute the second-largest Visible minority group in Canada standing at 1346510 which Indo-Canadians are Canadians whose origins trace back to the Indian sub-continent, often referred to in this way because the term Indian has been used According to Statistics Canada, Alberta is home to the second highest proportion (two percent) of Francophones in western Canada (after Manitoba). French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Manitoba (English ˌmænɨˈtoʊbə French /manitoba/ is a province of Canada, spanning 647797 square kilometres (250116 sq mi of North America Many of Alberta's French-speaking residents live in the central and northwestern regions of the province. The Franco-Albertans are an extended community of French Canadians or French -speaking people living in Alberta. As reported in the 2001 census, the Chinese represented nearly four percent of Alberta's population and East Indians represented better than two percent. Both Edmonton and Calgary have Chinatowns and Calgary's is Canada's third largest. A Chinatown is a section of an urban area with a large number of Chinese outside the majority-Chinese countries of Greater China. The Chinese presence began with workers employed in the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the 1880s. Aboriginal Albertans make up approximately three percent of the population. First Nations in Alberta constitute several dozen Nations. Reserves of these First Nations

The major contributors to Alberta's ethnic diversity have been the European nations. ^[17] Forty-four percent of Albertans are of British and Irish descent, and there are also large numbers of Germans, Ukrainians and Scandinavians. British people, or Britons, are the native inhabitants of Great Britain and their descendants or citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Irish Canadians are immigrants and descendants of immigrants who origninated in Ireland. The 2006 Canadian census put the number of Canadians of German ethnicity at 3179425 A Ukrainian Canadian is a person of Ukrainian descent or origin who was born in or immigrated to Canada. Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well Amongst those of British origins, the Scots have had a particularly strong influence, with many place-names (including Calgary, Airdrie, Canmore and Banff) having Scottish origins. Scottish Canadians are people of Scottish descent or heritage living in Canada. Canmore is an online database maintained by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain.

Both cities are home to Canadian Football League and National Hockey League teams. The Canadian Football League (CFL ( Ligue canadienne de football (LCF in The National Hockey League ( NHL) is a professional Ice hockey league composed of 30 teams in North America Soccer, rugby union and lacrosse are also played professionally in Alberta. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short Lacrosse is a full contact Team sport played using a solid rubber ball and long handled racket called a crosse or Lacrosse stick.

Alberta is home to speakers of a number of languages, with many minority languages growing due to immigration. English remains the only official language used in all government services, although French is also an official language of the courts.

See also: Languages of Canada

Tourism

Stephen Avenue, Calgary. Patterns of individual language use Language composition by Home language The following are the top twenty languages spoken in Canada shown Stephen Avenue is a major pedestrian mall in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Main article: Tourism in Alberta

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 (which receives 28. Alberta has been a tourist destination from the early days of the 20th Century with attractions including national parks historic sites urban arts and cultural facilities outdoor locales West Edmonton Mall (WEM located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada is the largest Shopping mall in North America and the fourth largest 2 million visitors per year and between 60,000 and 150,000 shoppers daily), outdoor festivals, professional athletic events, international sporting competitions such as the Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games, as well as more eclectic attractions. The Commonwealth Games is a multinational Multi-sport event. Held every four years it involves the elite athletes of the Commonwealth of Nations. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games There are also attrations like the elk islands national park, the wood buffalo national park, and the Columbia icefields

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. ^[18]

Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies

Alberta's Rocky Mountains include well known tourist destinations Banff National Park and Jasper National Park. Lake Louise is a Lake in Alberta, Canada. The Glacial lake is located in Banff National Park, from the hamlet of Lake Louise The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. Banff National Park (ˈbæmf is Canada's oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Canadian Rockies. Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, spanning 10878 km² (4200 mi² The two mountain parks are connected by the scenic Icefields Parkway. The Icefields Parkway ( French Promenade des Glaciers) also known as Highway 93 Banff is located 128 km west of Calgary on Highway 1 and Jasper is located 366 km west of Edmonton on Yellowhead Highway. Highway 1 is southern Alberta 's primary east-west highway It is 522 km (324 miles long in Alberta The Yellowhead Highway is a major east-west highway connecting the four western Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan 5 of Canada's 13 UNESCO World heritage sites are located within the province: Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Wood Buffalo National Park, Dinosaur Provincial Park and Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex The Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site is located in the Canadian Rockies. The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is the name of the union of the Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada and the Glacier National Wood Buffalo National Park, located in northeastern Alberta and southern Northwest Territories, is the largest National park in Canada at Dinosaur Provincial Park is a World Heritage Site located about a two hours drive east of Calgary, Alberta, Canada or northeast of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is a Buffalo jump located where the Foothills of the Rocky Mountains begin to rise from the Prairie 18 km northwest

About 1. 2 million people pass through the gates of Calgary's world-famous Stampede,^[19] 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's Capital EX, formerly known as Klondike Days or K-Days, is an annual 10-day exhibition held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada ^[20] 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. Yukon (ˈjuːkɒn is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three territories. Chilkoot Pass (el 1067 m/3500 ft is a high Mountain pass through the Coast Mountains in the U

Another tourist destination that draws more than 650 000 visitors a year is the Drumheller Valley, located 86 miles N. E. of Calgary. Drumheller, "Dinosaur Capital of The World", offers the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, one of the worlds finest dinosaur museums. Drumheller also had a rich mining history being one of Western Canada's largest coal producers during the war years and can offer days of interesting attractions to those that venture to take a look. A good place to start would be the tourist info centre where the worlds largest dinosaur stands guard at a height of 26. 2 metres as it peers down the valley overseeing the many other replicas situated throughout the valley. The Canadian Badlands has much to offer in the way of attractions, cultural events, celebrations, accommodations and service. A unique oasis on the prairie. Drumheller "Something to Roar About".

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. Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions is a Heritage railway originating in Stettler Alberta. Stettler is a town in Alberta, Canada. It is located east of Red Deer at the junction of Highway 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 tens 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 such as Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, Marmot Basin, Norquay and Nakiska. Snow skiing is a group of sports utilizing Skis as primary equipment The word 'hiking' is understood in all English-speaking countries but there are differences in usage A ski area is a developed recreational facility usually on a Mountain or large Hill, containing ski trails and vital supporting services Sunshine Village is a major North American Ski resort, located within the protected wilderness of Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Lake Louise Mountain Resort is a Ski resort located in Banff National Park, in the village of Lake Louise, Alberta. Marmot Basin is an alpine ski area located in Alberta 's Jasper National Park. Ski Norquay is a Ski resort in the Canadian Rockies, near the town of Banff Alberta. Nakiska is a Ski resort in the Kananaskis Country region of the Canadian province of Alberta. Hunters and fishermen from around the world are able to take home impressive trophies and tall tales from their experiences in Alberta's wilderness. ----A trophy is a reward for a specific achievement and usually afterwards serves as proof of merit Tall Tale, also known as Tall Tale The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill is a 1995 family Western movie starring Patrick

Demographics

Alberta's population has grown steadily for over a century.

Main article: Demographics of Alberta

Alberta has enjoyed a relatively high rate of growth in recent years, due in large part to its burgeoning economy. Alberta has enjoyed a relatively high rate of growth in recent years due in large part to its burgeoning economy Between 2003 and 2004, the province saw high birthrates (on par with some larger provinces such as British Columbia), relatively high immigration, and a high rate of interprovincial migration when compared to other provinces. British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C ^[21] Approximately 81% of the population live in urban areas and only about 19% live in rural areas. The Calgary-Edmonton Corridor is the most urbanized area in the province and is one of the most densely populated areas of Canada. ^[22] Many of Alberta's cities and towns have also experienced very high rates of growth in recent history. Over the past century, Alberta's population rose from 73,022 in 1901 to 2,974,807 in 2001^[17] and 3,290,350 according to the 2006 census^[23]

Languages

The 2006 census found that English, with 2,576,670 native speakers, was the mother tongue of 79. The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States 99% of Albertans. The next most common mother tongues were Chinese languages with 97,275 native-speakers (3. 02%); followed by German with 84,505 native-speakers (2. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. 62%); and French with 61,225 (1. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people 90%);then Punjabi 36,320 (1. Punjabi may refer to The Punjabi language of Pakistan and India Punjabi grammar List of Punjabi Year 36 was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. 13%); Tagalog 29,740 (0. Tagalog is one of the major languages used in the Philippines. 92%); Ukrainian 29,455 (0. Ukrainian (in Ukrainian украї́нська мо́ва ukrayins'ka mova,) is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. 91%); Spanish 29,125 (0. 90%); and Polish 21,990 (0. Polish ( język polski, polszczyzna) is the Official language of Poland. 68%); Arabic 20,495 (0. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Year 20 was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. 64%); Dutch 19,980 (0. Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname 62%); and Vietnamese 19,350 (0. Vietnamese ( tiếng Việt, or less commonly Việt ngữ) formerly known under French colonization as Annamese ( see Annam) 60%). The most common aboriginal language is Cree 17,215 (0. Cree (also known as Cree-Montagnais Cree-Montagnais-Naskapi is the name for a group of closely-related Algonquian languages spoken by approximately 117000 people across 53%). Other common mother tongues include Italian with 13,095 speakers (0. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. 41%); Urdu with 11,275 (0. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised 35%); and Korean with 10,845 (0. This article is mainly about the spoken Korean language See Hangul for details on the native Korean writing system 33%); then Hindi 8,985 (0. 28%); Farsi 7,700 (0. 24%); Portuguese 7,205 (0. Portuguese ( or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia (Spain and northern Portugal. 22%); and Hungarian 6,770 (0. Hungarian ( magyar nyelv) is a Uralic language (more specifically a Ugric language) unrelated to most other languages in Europe. 21%).
(Figures shown are for the number of single language responses and the percentage of total single-language responses. )^[24]

Ethnicity

In the 2001 Canadian census, 387,445 Albertans (13. 17%) identified themselves as "Canadian" while 426,035 (14. Population of Canada: 31612895 (2006 Census Provinces and territories Metropolitan areas Cities 49%) identified some other ethnicity as well as "Canadian", making a total of 813,485 (27. 66%) for "Canadian". The other most commonly reported ethnicities were: 753,185 English (25. English Canada|Canadians of English descentAn English Canadian is a Canadian whose principal language is English or who is of English ancestry; it is used 61%); and 576,350 German (19. The 2006 Canadian census put the number of Canadians of German ethnicity at 3179425 60%); 556,575 Scottish (18. Scottish Canadians are people of Scottish descent or heritage living in Canada. 92%); 461,065 Irish (15. Irish Canadians are immigrants and descendants of immigrants who origninated in Ireland. 68%); 332,675 French (11. 31%); 285,725 Ukrainian (9. A Ukrainian Canadian is a person of Ukrainian descent or origin who was born in or immigrated to Canada. 71%); 149,225 Dutch (5. According to the Canada 2006 Census, there are 1035965 Canadians of Dutch descent, including those of full or partial ancestry 07%); 144,040 North American Indian (4. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. 90%); 137,625 Polish (4. Polish Canadians are Canadians of Polish ancestry According to the 2001 census by Statistics Canada, 817085 Canadians claim full or partial Polish ancestry 68%); 120,050 Norwegian (4. Norwegians See also History of Norway and Demography of Norway. 08%); and 108,050 Chinese (3. Chinese Canadians are Canadians of Chinese descent and constitute the second-largest Visible minority group in Canada standing at 1346510 which 67%). (Each person could choose more than one ethnicity. )^[25]

Religion

As of the Canada 2001 Census the largest religious group was Roman Catholic, representing 25. The Canada 2001 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population 7% of the population. Alberta had the second highest percentage of non-religious residents in Canada (after British Columbia) at 23. Irreligion is a lack of religion indifference to religion or hostility to religion British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C 1% of the population. Of the remainder, 13. 5% of the population identified themselves as belonging to the United Church, while 5. United and uniting churches are churches formed from the merger or other form of union of two or more different Protestant denominations. 9% were Anglican. Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Lutherans made up 4. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther 8% of the population while Baptists comprised 2. Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. 5%. The remainder had a wide variety of different religious affiliations, although no individual group constituted more than 2% of the population. ^[26]

The Mormons of Alberta reside primarily in the extreme south of the province and made up 1. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known 7% of the population. Alberta has a population of Hutterites, a communal Anabaptist sect similar to the Mennonites (Hutterites represented 0. Hutterites are a communal branch of Anabaptists who like the Amish and Mennonites, trace their roots to the Radical Reformation of the 16th century Anabaptists ( Greek ανα (again twice + βαπτιζω (baptize thus "re-baptizers" are Christians of the Radical Reformation The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after Menno Simons (1496&ndash1561 though his teachings were a relatively 4% of the population while Mennonites were 0. 8%), and has a significant population of Seventh-day Adventists at 0. The Seventh-day Adventist (abbreviated " Adventist " Church is a Christian denomination which is distinguished mainly by its observance 3%. Alberta is home to several Byzantine Rite Churches as part of the legacy of Eastern European immigration, including the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada's Western Diocese which is based in Edmonton. The Byzantine Rite, sometimes called the Rite of Constantinople or Constantinopolitan Rite, is the liturgical rite used currently (in various languages The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton is a Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese that includes part of the Canada Early history Most ethnic Ukrainians moving to Canada from Galicia (Western Ukraine) in the late nineteenth and early twentieth The Western Diocese is a Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, which itself is under the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus live in Alberta. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Muslims constituted 1. 7% of the population, Sikhs 0. 8% and Hindus 0. 5%. Many of these are recent immigrants, but others have roots that go back to the first settlers of the prairies. North America's oldest mosque is located in Edmonton.

Jews constituted 0. 4% of Alberta's population. Most of Alberta's 13,000 Jews live in Calgary (7,500) and Edmonton (5,000). PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ ^[27]

History

Alexander Rutherford, Alberta's first premier

Main article: History of Alberta

The province of Alberta, as far north as about 53° north latitude, was a part of Rupert's Land from the time of the incorporation of the Hudson's Bay Company (1670). Alexander Cameron Rutherford (born Osgoode Ontario 2 February 1857 - died 11 June 1941 Edmonton Alberta) was a lawyer politician and the first Premier What is today the province of Alberta, Canada has been settled for thousands of years by the ancestors of today's First Nations. Rupert's Land, also sometimes called "Prince Rupert's Land" was a territory in British North America, consisting of the Hudson Bay drainage basin, that After the arrival in the North-West of the French around 1731 they settled the prairies of the west, establishing communities such as Lac La Biche and Bonnyville. Lac La Biche is an urban service area in the province of Alberta, Canada. Bonnyville Alberta is a town situated in Central Alberta between the city of Cold Lake and the smaller town of Fort La Jonquière was established near what is now Calgary in (1752). The North West Company of Montreal occupied the northern part of Alberta territory before the Hudson's Bay Company arrived from Hudson Bay to take possession of it. For the grocery chain see The North West Company. The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal The first explorer of the Athabasca region was Peter Pond, who, on behalf of the North West Company of Montreal, built Fort Athabasca on Lac La Biche in 1778. Peter Pond (1739 or 1740 &ndash 1807 was born in Milford, Connecticut. Roderick Mackenzie built Fort Chipewyan on Lake Athabasca ten years later in 1788. Fort Chipewyan is one of the oldest European settlement in the province of Alberta, Canada. His cousin, Sir Alexander Mackenzie followed the North Saskatchewan River to its northernmost point near Edmonton, then setting northward on foot, trekked to the Athabasca River, which he followed to Lake Athabasca. Sir Alexander Mackenzie (Alasdair MacCoinnich 1764 - March 12, 1820) was a Scottish-Canadian explorer. The North Saskatchewan River is a Glacier -fed River flowing east from the Canadian Rockies to central Saskatchewan. The Athabasca River (French rivière Athabasca) originates from the Columbia Glacier of the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park in Alberta It was there he discovered the mighty outflow river which bears his name—the Mackenzie River—which he followed to its outlet in the Arctic Ocean. The Mackenzie River (Fleuve Mackenzie originates in Great Slave Lake, in the Northwest Territories, and flows north into the Arctic Ocean. Returning to Lake Athabasca, he followed the Peace River upstream, eventually reaching the Pacific Ocean, and so being the first white man to cross the North American continent north of Mexico. This article is about the river For the town in Alberta see Peace River Alberta. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions ^[28]

The district of Alberta was created as part of the North-West Territories in 1882. As settlement increased, local representatives to the North-West Legislative Assembly were added. After a long campaign for autonomy, in 1905 the district of Alberta was enlarged and given provincial status, with the election of Alexander Cameron Rutherford as the first premier. Alexander Cameron Rutherford (born Osgoode Ontario 2 February 1857 - died 11 June 1941 Edmonton Alberta) was a lawyer politician and the first Premier

Ecology

Fauna

The three climatic regions (alpine, forest, and prairie) of Alberta are home to many different species of animals. For the climate of the mountains named the Alps, see Climate of the Alps. The south and central prairie was the land of the bison, its grasses providing a great pasture and breeding ground for millions of buffalo. The buffalo population was decimated during early settlement, but since then buffalo have made a strong comeback, and thrive on farms and in parks all over Alberta.

The Bighorn Sheep is Alberta's provincial animal

Alberta is home to many large carnivores. Bighorn Sheep ( Ovis canadensis) is a species of sheep in North America and Siberia with large horns which can weigh up to. A carnivore (ˈkɑrnɪvɔər meaning 'meat eater' ( Latin carne meaning 'flesh' and vorare meaning 'to devour' is any animal with a diet consisting Among them are the grizzly and black bears, which are found in the mountains and wooded regions. The Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis, also known as the Silvertip Bear, is a Subspecies of Brown bear (Ursus arctos that lives The American Black Bear ( Ursus americanus) is the most common Bear Species native to North America. Smaller carnivores of the canine and feline families include coyotes, wolves, fox, lynx, bobcat and mountain lion (cougar). The Canidae (ˈkænədiː ′kanə′dē family is a part of the order Carnivora within the Mammals (Class Mammalia The coyote (kaɪˈoʊti ˈkaɪoʊt ( Canis latrans) also known as the prairie wolf, is a Mammal of the order Carnivora The grey wolf or gray wolf ( Canis lupus) also known as the timber wolf or simply wolf, is a Mammal of the order Carnivora A fox is an Animal belonging to any one of about 27 Species (of which only 12 actually belong to the Vulpes genus or 'true foxes' of small A lynx is any of four medium-sized wild cats. All are members of the Genus Lynx, but there is considerable confusion about the best way to classify The Bobcat ( Lynx rufus) is a North American Mammal of the cat family Felidae. The cougar ( Puma concolor) also puma, mountain lion, or panther, depending on region is a Mammal of the Felidae family

Herbivorous, or plant-eating animals, are found throughout the province. Herbivory is a form of Predation in which an Organism, known as a herbivore, consumes principally Autotrophs ref name=Campbell>Campbell Moose and deer (both mule and white-tail varieties) are found in the wooded regions, and pronghorn can be found in the prairies of southern Alberta. The moose (North America or elk (Europe Alces alces, is the largest extant Species in the Deer family. A deer is a Ruminant Mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. In Botanical nomenclature or biological nomenclature variety is a low-level Taxonomic rank below that of species and signifies members of different populations can The pronghorn ( Antilocapra americana) also pronghorn antelope or prong buck, is a species of Ungulate Mammal native to interior Bighorn sheep and mountain goats live in the Rocky Mountains. Bighorn Sheep ( Ovis canadensis) is a species of sheep in North America and Siberia with large horns which can weigh up to. The Mountain Goat ( Oreamnos americanus) also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. Rabbits, porcupines, skunks, squirrels and many species of rodents and reptiles live in every corner of the province. Rabbits are small Mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world Porcupines are Rodents with a coat of sharp spines or quills that defend them from predators Skunks (sometimes referred to as polecats) are Mammals best known for their ability to excrete a strong foul-smelling odor. A squirrel is one of the many small or medium-sized Rodents in the family Sciuridae. Alberta is fortunate in that it is home to only one variety of venomous snake, the prairie rattlesnake. Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous Snakes, genera Crotalus and Sistrurus.

Central and northern Alberta and the region farther north is the nesting-ground of the migratory birds. Vast numbers of ducks, geese, swans and pelicans arrive in Alberta every spring and nest on or near one of the hundreds of small lakes that dot northern Alberta. For duck as a food see Duck (food; for other meanings see Duck (disambiguation. Goose (plural geese) is the English name for a considerable number of Birds belonging to the family Anatidae. Swans are Birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and Ducks Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in A pelican is a large water Bird with a distinctive pouch under the beak belonging to the Bird family Pelecanidae. Eagles, hawks, owls and crows are plentiful, and a huge variety of smaller seed and insect-eating birds can be found. Eagles are large birds of prey which are members of the Bird order Falconiformes and family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera The term hawk can be used in several ways In strict usage in Europe and Asia, to mean any of the Species in the Subfamily The Owls are an order of birds of prey. Most are Solitary, and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e The true crows are large Passerine Birds that comprise the Genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Alberta, like other temperate regions, is home to mosquitoes, flies, wasps, and bees. Mosquitoes are insects in the family Culicidae. They have a pair of scaled wings a pair of Halteres, a slender body and long legs True flies are Insects of the Order Diptera ( Greek: di = two and pteron = wing possessing a single pair of A wasp is any Insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is neither a Bee nor Ant. Rivers and lakes are well stocked with pike, walleye, whitefish, rainbow, speckled, and brown trout, and even sturgeon. The walleye (common US name or yellow pickerel (Canada ( Sander vitreus vitreus, formerly Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) is a freshwater Perciform The rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) is a species of Salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, (sometimes called the eastern brook trout, Adirondack coaster lake trout) is a Species of Fish The brown trout ( Salmo trutta morpha fario and S trutta morpha lacustris) and the sea trout ( S Trout is the common name given to a number of Species of Freshwater Fish belonging to the Salmonidae family Sturgeon is the Common name used for some 26 species of fish in the family Acipenseridae, including the genera Acipenser, Turtles are found in some water bodies in the southern part of the province. Turtles are Reptiles of the Order Testudines (all living turtles belong to the Crown group Chelonia) most of Frogs and salamanders are a few of the amphibians that make their homes in Alberta. This article is about the block cipher algorithm For the ultrafast laser pulse measurement technique see Frequency-resolved optical gating. Salamander (orig from Persian: sām, "fire" and andarūn, "within" is the common name for a group of approximately 500 Species Prehistoric amphibian Amphibians (class Amphibia such as Frogs Toads Salamanders Newts Gymnophiona, Sirens and

Alberta is the only province in Canada, as well as one of the few places in the world which is free of Norwegian rats. ^[29] Since the early 1950s, the government of Alberta has operated a rat-control program which has been so successful that only isolated instances of wild rat sightings are reported, usually of rats arriving in the province aboard trucks or by rail. In 2006, Alberta Agriculture reports zero findings of wild rats; the only rat interceptions have been domesticated rats which have been seized from their owners. It is illegal for individual Albertans to own or keep Norwegian rats of any description; the animals can only be kept in the province by zoos, universities and colleges, and recognized research institutions.

Flora

In central and northern Alberta the arrival of spring brings the prairie crocus anemone, the three flowered avens, golden bean, and other early flowers. Anemone ( A-ne-mó-ne, from the Gr Άνεμος wind is a Genus of about 120 Species of flowering plants in the Thermopsis rhombifolia, also known as Golden Bean Buffalo Bean Wet Tooth and Buffalo Flower is a hardy perennial native to the North American Plains The advancing summer introduces many flowers of the sunflower family, until in August the plains are one blaze of yellow and purple. The sunflower ( Helianthus annuus) is an Annual plant in the family Asteraceae and native to the Americas, with a large flowering The southern and east central parts of Alberta are covered by a short, nutritious grass, which dries up as summer lengthens, to be replaced by hardy perennials such as the prairie coneflower, fleabane, and sage. Both yellow and white sweet clover fill the ditches with their beauty and aromatic scents. This article is about the genus of grassland plants For the moshav see Mlilot. The trees in the parkland region of the province grow in clumps and belts on the hillsides. These are largely deciduous, typically aspen, poplar, and willow. Botany Autumn leaf color. See --> In Botany and Horticulture, deciduous Plants, including Aspens are Trees of the willow family and comprise a section of the Poplar genus Populus sect Populus is a genus of between 25–35 species of Flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. Willows, sallows and osiers form the Genus Salix, around 400 species of Deciduous Trees and Shrubs found primarily Many species of willow and other shrubs grow in virtually any terrain. On the north side of the North Saskatchewan River evergreen forests prevail for hundreds of thousands of square kilometres. Aspen poplar, balsam poplar (or cottonwood), and paper birch are the primary large deciduous species. Aspens are Trees of the willow family and comprise a section of the Poplar genus Populus sect The balsam poplars Populus sect Tacamahaca are a group of about 10 species of Poplars indigenous to North America and eastern Asia The cottonwoods are three species of Poplars in the section Aegiros of the genus Populus, native to North America, Europe and western Betula papyrifera ( Paper Birch, also known as American White Birch and Canoe Birch) is a species of Birch native to northern Conifers include Jack pine, Rocky Mountain pine, Lodgepole pine, both white and black spruce, and the deciduous conifer tamarack. The Jack Pine ( Pinus banksiana) is a North American Pine with its native range in Canada east of the Rocky Mountains from Lodgepole Pine ( Pinus contorta) is a common Tree in western North America. Spruce refers to Trees of the genus Picea, a genus of about 35 species of Coniferous Evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae Tamarack Larch, or Tamarack or American Larch ( Larix laricina) is a species of Larch native to northern North America, mainly

References

^ Statistics Canada. The Alberta Advantage is a phrase coined by the government of the province of Alberta, Canada to describe Alberta's prosperous circumstance at the beginning of the Alberta separatism is a movement that advocates the Secession of the province of Alberta from Canada either by forming an independent nation or by Canada's population estimates 2008-03-27. Retrieved on 2008-04-05. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop
^ Statistics Canada Gross domestic product, expenditure-based, by province and territory
^ Statistics Canada—CMA population estimates
^ Statistics Canada (February 2005). Statistics Canada (Statistique Canada is the Canadian federal government department commissioned with producing Statistics to help Land and freshwater area, by province and territory. Retrieved on 2007-03-07. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 161 - Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius dies and is succeeded by co-Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus
^ Statistics Canada (September 2006). Statistics Canada (Statistique Canada is the Canadian federal government department commissioned with producing Statistics to help The Alberta economic Juggernaut:The boom on the rose. Retrieved on 2007-02-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor
^ Calgary-Edmonton corridor. Statistics Canada, 2001 Census of Population (2003-01-20). Statistics Canada (Statistique Canada is the Canadian federal government department commissioned with producing Statistics to help Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Retrieved on 2007-03-22. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 238 - Gordian I and his son Gordian II are proclaimed Roman emperor.
^ The Fraser Institute (November 2006). The Fraser Institute is Conservative and Libertarian Think tank based in Canada that espouses Free market principles Alberta Rated as Best Investment Climate. Retrieved on 2007-03-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good
^ The Fraser Institute (September 2006). The Fraser Institute is Conservative and Libertarian Think tank based in Canada that espouses Free market principles Economic Freedom of North America. 2006 Annual Report. Retrieved on 2007-03-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good ISBN 0-88975-213-3
^ Government of Alaksa. Alaska and Alberta - An Overview
^ Canada Oilsands Opportunites -- U.S. Commercial Service Montana
^ Interactive display system—US Patent U. S. Patent No. 5,448,263; U.S. Patent for Touch Sensitive Technology—SMART Technologies
^ Alberta Livestock Inspections—August 2006—Alberta Government, Department of Agriculture
^ Election results at CTV
^ Post Secondary Education
^ University of Alberta—Ralph Klein promises tuition freeze
^ Calgary International Airport
^ ^a ^b Population of Alberta—Statistics Canada
^ Alberta Economic Development. Tourism Statistics
^ Calgary Stampede highlights
^ CapitalEX—Fair History
^ StatCan—Alberta population
^ Alberta Municipal Affairs (2006-05-16). Alberta Municipal Affairs and Housing is a ministry of the Executive Council of Alberta. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Types of Municipalities in Alberta. Retrieved on December 18, 2006.
^ Population and dwelling counts (2006 Census)
^ Detailed Mother Tongue (186), Knowledge of Official Languages (5), Age Groups (17A) and Sex (3) (2006 Census)
^ Ethnocultural Portrait of Canada (2001 Census)
^ Selected Religions, for Canada, Provinces and Territories. Canada 2001 Census. Statistics Canada (2001). Retrieved on 2008-04-14. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in
^ AM Yisrael—The Jewish Communities of Canada
^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Alexander Mackenzie Biography. Retrieved on 2006-01-05. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France.
^ Alberta Department of Agriculture. The History of Rat Control in Alberta. Retrieved on 2007-01-11. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire.

External links

Government of Alberta website
Travel Alberta
Alberta Encyclopedia
Alberta Government Workforce Solutions
Alberta First—Alberta Community Profiles, statistics, facts
Alberta Stars—Alberta Community Website, News and Galleries from across the Province
CBC Digital Archives—Striking Oil in Alberta
CBC Digital Archives—Electing Dynasties: Alberta Campaigns 1935 to 2001
CBC Digital Archives—Alberta @ 100

Coordinates: 55°10′N 114°24′W / 55.167, -114.4 (Alberta)

A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system.

Dictionary

-proper noun

Province in western Canada which has Edmonton as its capital.
A female given name, a feminine form of Albert.

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