Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan is a large province located in Western Canada.

It is one of only two landlocked provinces in the country. This means it has no borders touching an ocean. The province is roughly a quadrilateral shape. Its borders follow lines of longitude and latitude. To the west, it is bordered by Alberta. To the north, it touches the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Manitoba sits to the east. To the south, it borders the United States. Specifically, it meets the states of Montana and North Dakota.

The geography of the province is divided into two distinct natural regions. The northern half consists mostly of the boreal forest. This area is sparsely populated. It contains the Lake Athabasca Sand Dunes. These are the largest active sand dunes north of 58 degrees latitude. The southern half is characterized by the prairies. This region is where the overwhelming majority of the population lives. An aspen parkland transition zone separates these two major regions. This zone sits near the North Saskatchewan River. The province also contains 14 major drainage basins. These watersheds drain into the Arctic Ocean, Hudson Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Saskatchewan's climate is diverse and often extreme. It receives more hours of sunshine than any other Canadian province. The central and eastern parts have a humid continental climate. This is known as Köppen type Dfb. The southwestern part has a semi-arid steppe climate, or type BSk. The northern regions have a subarctic climate, known as type Dfc. Summers can become very hot, sometimes exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. Winters are often bitterly cold due to Arctic air. The province is also very active for tornadoes. It averages between 12 and 18 tornadoes every year. In 2012, the province recorded 33 tornadoes.

Indigenous peoples have inhabited this land for thousands of years. Groups such as the Cree, Saulteaux, and Sioux have deep roots here.

Europeans first explored the area in 1690. Henry Kelsey was the first known European to enter the region. He traveled the Saskatchewan River to trade fur. Permanent European settlement began in 1774 at Cumberland House. Most of the province was once part of Rupert's Land. This territory was controlled by the Hudson's Bay Company. Saskatchewan officially became a province in 1905. It was created from the much larger North-West Territories.

The population of Saskatchewan was estimated at 1,266,234 in 2025. Most residents live in the southern prairie half. Nearly half of the population lives in the two largest cities. These are Regina, the capital, and Saskatoon, the largest city.

Other notable cities include Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, and Yorkton. English is the primary language. About 82.4% of residents speak English as their first language. The economy is built on agriculture, mining, and energy.

History in the province has seen significant social and political shifts. In the early 20th century, it became a stronghold for social democracy. In 1944, the province elected North America's first socialist government. The province is currently governed by the Saskatchewan Party. This party has held power since 2007 under Premier Scott Moe. In 1992, a historic land claim agreement was signed. This agreement between the federal and provincial governments and First Nations provided compensation. These funds allow First Nations to buy land on the open market for their bands.

The name "Saskatchewan" is derived from the Saskatchewan River. In the Cree language, the name means "swift flowing river." The modern spelling was officially adopted in 1882. Before this, Anthony Henday spelled it as Keiskatchewan. The province's physical features are quite varied. The highest point is 1,392 metres in the Cypress Hills. The lowest point is the shore of Lake Athabasca. Nearly 10% of the province's total area is fresh water. This includes many rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.