61 Facts About Alberta

Alberta is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.

Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U S state of Montana to the south.

Alberta's capital is Edmonton, while Calgary is its largest city.

Alberta's economy is based on hydrocarbons, petrochemical industries, livestock and agriculture.

Alberta is renowned for its natural beauty, richness in fossils and for housing important nature reserves.

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Alberta is home to six UNESCO designated World Heritage Sites: The Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, Dinosaur Provincial Park, the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Wood Buffalo National Park and Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park.

Alberta was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria.

Much of the unforested part of Alberta is given over either to grain or to dairy farming, with mixed farming more common in the north and centre, while ranching and irrigated agriculture predominate in the south.

Alberta badlands are located in southeastern Alberta, where the Red Deer River crosses the flat prairie and farmland, and features deep canyons and striking landforms.

The northerly location and isolation from the weather systems of the Pacific Ocean cause Alberta to have a dry climate with little moderation from the ocean.

Northern Alberta is mostly covered by boreal forest and has a subarctic climate.

The agricultural area of southern Alberta has a semi-arid steppe climate because the annual precipitation is less than the water that evaporates or is used by plants.

Western Alberta is protected by the mountains and enjoys the mild temperatures brought by winter Chinook winds.

Alberta has a humid continental climate with warm summers and cold winters.

The southern and east central parts of Alberta are covered by short prairie grass, which dries up as summer lengthens, to be replaced by hardy perennials such as the prairie coneflower, fleabane, and sage (Artemisia).

Alberta is home to only one venomous snake species, the prairie rattlesnake.

Alberta is home to many large carnivores such as wolves, grizzly bears, black bears, and mountain lions, which are found in the mountains and wooded regions.

Alberta is the only province in Canada—as well as one of the few places in the world—that is free of Norwegian rats.

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 reported zero findings of wild rats; the only rat interceptions have been domesticated rats that have been seized from their owners.

Alberta has one of the greatest diversities and abundances of Late Cretaceous dinosaur fossils worldwide.

Extreme southernmost portion of Alberta was part of the French territory of Louisiana and was sold to the United States in 1803.

Northern Alberta was included in the North-Western Territory until 1870, when it and Rupert's land became Canada's North-West Territories.

District of Alberta was created as part of the North-West Territories in 1882.

Since 2000, Alberta's population has experienced a relatively high rate of growth, mainly because of its burgeoning economy.

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In 2016, Alberta continued to have the youngest population among the provinces with a median age of 36.

Alberta's population rose from 73, 022 in 1901 to 3, 290, 350 according to the 2006 census.

Many of Alberta's French-speaking residents live in the central and northwestern regions of the province, after migration from other areas of Canada or descending from Metis.

Alberta is the third most diverse province in terms of visible minorities after British Columbia and Ontario with 13.

Alberta had the second-highest percentage of non-religious residents among the provinces at 31.

Alberta has a population of Hutterites, a communal Anabaptist sect similar to the Mennonites, and has a significant population of Seventh-day Adventists.

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.

Alberta is home to a growing Jewish population of about 15, 400 people who constituted 0.

Alberta's economy was one of the strongest in the world, supported by the burgeoning petroleum industry and to a lesser extent, agriculture and technology.

In 2014, Alberta had the second-largest economy in Canada after Ontario, with a GDP exceeding.

Fraser Institute states that Alberta has very high levels of economic freedom and rates Alberta as the freest economy in Canada, and second-freest economy amongst U S states and Canadian provinces.

In 2015, Alberta's GDP grew unstably despite low oil prices, with growth rates as high 4.

Alberta is one of the top producers of plains buffalo for the consumer market.

Wheat and canola are primary farm crops, with Alberta leading the provinces in spring wheat production; other grains are prominent.

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.

Forestry plays a vital role in Alberta's economy, providing over 15, 000 jobs and contributing billions of dollars annually.

Alberta is the largest producer of conventional crude oil, synthetic crude, natural gas and gas products in Canada.

Alberta is the world's second-largest exporter of natural gas and the fourth-largest producer.

Alberta has been a tourist destination from the early days of the 20th century, with attractions including outdoor locales for skiing, hiking, and camping, shopping locales such as West Edmonton Mall, Calgary Stampede, outdoor festivals, professional athletic events, international sporting competitions such as the Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games, as well as more eclectic attractions.

Alberta tourism relies heavily on Southern Ontario tourists, as well as tourists from other parts of Canada, the United States, and many other countries.

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Alberta's Rockies include well-known tourist destinations Banff National Park and Jasper National Park.

Government of Alberta is organized as a parliamentary democracy with a unicameral legislature.

Alberta's elections have tended to yield much more conservative outcomes than those of other Canadian provinces.

Since the 1960s, Alberta has had three main political parties, the Progressive Conservatives, the Liberals, and the social democratic New Democrats.

In 2006, Alberta formed the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams to combat organized crime and the serious offences that accompany it.

Military bases in Alberta include Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake, CFB Edmonton, CFB Suffield and CFB Wainwright.

Alberta is the only province in Canada without a provincial sales tax.

In terms of income tax, Alberta is the "best province" for those with a low income because there is no provincial income tax for those who earn $18, 915 or less.

Alberta municipalities raise a significant portion of their income through levying property taxes.

Alberta is the first province to launch an Artist in Residence program in Canada.

University of Alberta, located in Edmonton and established in 1908, is Alberta's oldest and largest university.

The University of Calgary, once affiliated with the University of Alberta, gained its autonomy in 1966 and is the second-largest university in Alberta.

The Alberta government provides health services for all its residents as set out by the provisions of the Canada Health Act of 1984.

Alberta became Canada's second province to adopt a Tommy Douglas-style program in 1950, a precursor to the modern medicare system.

Alberta is well-connected by air, with international airports in both Calgary and Edmonton.

Alberta has relationships with many provinces, states, and other entities worldwide.