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Alberta

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Alberta is a large province located in Western Canada.

Alberta Topo Labeled 90 dpi
Alberta Topo Labeled 90 dpi

It is one of three prairie provinces in the region. To the west, Alberta sits next to British Columbia. To the east, it borders Saskatchewan. The Northwest Territories lie to the north. To the south, the province meets the U.S. state of Montana. Alberta and Saskatchewan are the only two Canadian provinces that are landlocked. This means they do not touch any ocean.

1 moraine lake pano 2019
1 moraine lake pano 2019

The land in Alberta changes as you move across it. The western part of the province borders the high Rocky Mountains.

Three Sisters - panoramio (7)
Three Sisters - panoramio (7)

The eastern part is filled by the Great Plains. In the middle, there is an area called aspen parkland. This area has fertile soil and sits between the forests and the prairies. The northern half of the province is mostly boreal forest. In the southeast, you can find the Alberta badlands. These areas have deep canyons and unique landforms.

Red rock coulee at sunset
Red rock coulee at sunset

People have lived in this area for a very long time. Before it was part of Canada, several First Nations lived here. These included the Plains Indians and the Woodland Cree.

Fur traders from different companies also used the land. The Dominion of Canada bought the land in 1870. Many immigrants arrived in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They came to grow wheat and raise cattle. Finally, the province of Alberta was created in 1905.

1820 george back fort chipewyan
1820 george back fort chipewyan

Alberta has a very diverse economy. The service sector provides jobs for 80% of the people. This includes work in healthcare, education, and tourism. About 3,000 tech companies also work in the province. The energy sector is very important for exports. In 2023, Alberta's total output was $350 billion.

Petroleum resources in Alberta, according to the Argonne National Labs
Petroleum resources in Alberta, according to the Argonne National Labs

This amount is 15% of the total economy of Canada. Many people also work in agriculture, like farming and ranching.

Canola in Alberta Canada
Canola in Alberta Canada

There are many famous places to visit in Alberta. The province has six UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology
Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology

These include Dinosaur Provincial Park and the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks. You can also visit Banff National Park or Jasper National Park. Alberta is famous for its many fossils. Many people live in the two largest cities. Edmonton is the capital city. Calgary is the largest city.

Calgary Tower, Calgary, Alberta, Canada -view-20June2010 (2)
Calgary Tower, Calgary, Alberta, Canada -view-20June2010 (2)

Most Albertans live in the area between these two cities.

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🖼️ Images & Media (29)
File:Alberta Topo Labeled 90 dpi.png
Alberta Topo Labeled 90 dpi.png
File:1 moraine lake pano 2019.jpg
1 moraine lake pano 2019.jpg
File:Alberta Köppen.svg
Alberta Köppen.svg
File:Red rock coulee at sunset.jpg
Red rock coulee at sunset.jpg
File:Rosa acicularis 8448.JPG
Rosa acicularis 8448.JPG
File:Bighorn Sheep - Kananaskis.jpg
Bighorn Sheep - Kananaskis.jpg
File:Alberta Department of Public Health Rat Poster (26497442131).jpg
Alberta Department of Public Health Rat...
File:Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology.jpg
Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology.jpg
Blackfoot warriors, Macleod, Alberta...
File:1820 george back fort chipewyan.jpg
1820 george back fort chipewyan.jpg
File:East Village Calgary Flood 2013.jpg
East Village Calgary Flood 2013.jpg
File:Alberta population density 2021.svg
Alberta population density 2021.svg

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