Alberta

Kananaskis Country, Alberta.
Photo credit: Michael Nishizaki

Alberta is a western province Canada. Established in 1905, it resides to the north of Montana between the provinces of British Columbia and Saskatchewan. A majority of its population (3,455,062, 2007 est.), live in one of Alberta's two major cities, Calgary and Edmonton.

History

Calgary hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics.

Geography

Alberta is one of Canada's Prairie Provinces, bounded on the west by the Rocky Mountains. Banff National Park is located in this region and remains Canada's oldest national park.

Government

Provincial politics in Alberta has traditionally been dominated by the ruling Conservative party. Current premier Ed Stelmach assumed office in late 2006.

Oil and gas

Alberta has long been Canada's principal producer of oil and gas, sparked by the Leduc Oil Field discovery.

With conventional reserves dwindling, development has shifted to the Athabasca Oil Sands, one of the world's largest oil reserves.