Edmonton

Edmonton is a big city in Alberta, Canada.

A large river flows through the land.

It can be very cold and dry in winter.

Many people lived here a long time ago. First Nations peoples lived in this area. They used rocks to make tools.

Later, people built a place called Fort Edmonton. This fort helped people trade goods.

Today, the city is a place for many fun things. It has many festivals all year. It even has a very large mall.

Edmonton is a busy and lively place to be.

Edmonton is the capital city of Alberta, Canada.

It sits along the North Saskatchewan River.

The city is part of a large area. This area is the Edmonton Metropolitan Region.

First Nations peoples lived here for a long time. They used local rocks to make tools like knives. Later, people built Fort Edmonton for trading. The fort was named after a place in England. Many people moved here after the railway arrived in 1891. Edmonton became a city in 1904. It became the capital of Alberta in 1905.

Today, many people call Edmonton "Canada's Festival City." It hosts many festivals every year. The city has the West Edmonton Mall. This is the largest mall in Canada.

Edmonton is also a gateway to the north. It helps people reach oil and diamond mines. The city is a busy place for school and government. Many people live here. In 2021, over one million people lived in the city. It is the northernmost city in North America with that many people.

Edmonton is the capital city of Alberta, Canada.

It sits right along the North Saskatchewan River.

This river flows through a large area called the Edmonton Metropolitan Region.

The city is a very important place in western Canada. It sits at the northern end of a busy area called the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor.

People who live in the city are known as Edmontonians.

Long ago, many different First Nations peoples lived in this area. These groups included the Cree, Nakota Sioux, Blackfoot, Tsuutʼina, Ojibwe, and Denesuline.

They used the river valley to find food and medicine. They also found special rocks like chert to make tools. They could knap these stones into sharp axes and knives. The Métis people also lived here and held narrow lots along the river.

These people used the land for many thousands of years.

Trading changed the area many years later. In 1795, a major trading post called Fort Edmonton was built.

It was named after a place in England called Edmonton. The fort became a main center for trade after two big companies merged in 1821.

Later, the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1891 brought many new people. The city grew quickly after that. Edmonton officially became a city in 1904. Just one year later, in 1905, it became the capital of Alberta.

Edmonton has grown much larger over time. It grew by joining with nearby towns and villages like Strathcona and Beverly.

In 2021, the city had a population of 1,010,899 people. The whole metropolitan area had 1,418,118 people.

This makes it the fifth-largest city in Canada. It is also the northernmost city in North America with over one million people. The city even took in more land from Leduc County and Beaumont in 2019.

Today, the city is a busy place for many things. People call it "Canada's Festival City" because it hosts festivals all year.

It is also known as the "Gateway to the North." This is because it helps people reach oil sands and diamond mines.

You can visit the West Edmonton Mall, which is the largest mall in Canada. You can also visit Fort Edmonton Park, which is the largest living history museum in the country. The city is a center for schools, government, and culture.

Edmonton is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta.

It is located in the center of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. This region is surrounded by the central region of Alberta. The city sits along the North Saskatchewan River.

It also anchors the northern end of the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor. This is a specific area defined by Statistics Canada. Edmonton is situated within Treaty 6 territory. Residents of the city are known as Edmontonians.

The history of the area began long before the modern city existed. The earliest known inhabitants arrived around 3,000 BC. Some evidence suggests people may have arrived as early as 12,000 BC. This happened when an ice-free corridor opened after the last glacial period ended.

The North Saskatchewan River valley provided essential resources for these early people. They found fish, medicine, and materials for making tools. They used abundant rocks like chert or quartzite. These stones could be knapped into axes, knives, and arrowheads. Several First Nations peoples inhabited the area. These included the Cree, Nakota Sioux, Blackfoot, Tsuutʼina, Ojibwe, and Denesuline. The Métis also held narrow lots along the river for resources.

European influence arrived through the fur trade. An explorer named Anthony Henday may have been the first European to enter the area in 1754. By 1795, trading posts were established in the region. Fort Edmonton was built on the north bank of the river.

It was located near the mouth of the Sturgeon River. The fort was a major center for the Hudson's Bay Company. It was named after Edmonton, Middlesex, in England. William Tomison chose this name for the fort. He named it after the hometown of the Lake family. At least five members of that family were influential in the Hudson's Bay Company. The fort was also called Fort-des-Prairies by French-Canadians and trappers.

Trade and transportation changed the region's development. In 1821, the Hudson's Bay Company merged with the North West Company. This merger made Fort Edmonton the main trade center for the area. The arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1891 helped the local economy.

This led to the emergence of a railway townsite called Strathcona. Strathcona was located on the south side of the river. Many settlers arrived from Europe, the United States, and eastern Canada. They were attracted by the cheap land and fertile soil. Some people even passed through the area during the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897.

Edmonton grew through official incorporation and expansion. It was incorporated as a town in 1892. It became a city in 1904.

One year later, in 1905, it was named the capital of Alberta. The city grew by absorbing five nearby urban municipalities. These included Strathcona, North Edmonton, West Edmonton, Beverly, and Jasper Place. This means the city is a combination of two cities, two towns, and two villages. The city also annexed land from Leduc County and the City of Beaumont in 2019.

Today, Edmonton is a major urban center with a large population. As of 2021, the city population was 1,010,899. The metropolitan population reached 1,418,118.

This makes it the fifth-largest city in Canada. It is also the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the country. Edmonton is the northernmost city in North America with over one million people. It is known as the "Gateway to the North." This nickname refers to its role as a staging point. It supports oil sands projects in northern Alberta and diamond mining in the Northwest Territories.

The city is a hub for culture and education. It is often called "Canada's Festival City" because of its many year-round festivals.

Visitors can find large landmarks like the West Edmonton Mall.

This mall was the world's largest from 1981 until 2004. The city also hosts Fort Edmonton Park. This is the largest living history museum in Canada.

Edmonton serves as a vital center for government and many different social systems.