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Alberta is one of 10 Canadian provinces. The province received such a name in honor of Queen Victoria’s daughter – Princess Louise Carolina Alberta.
Geography
From the South side, the province has a border that is located near the state of Montana, the US, from the Eastern side – Saskatchewan; Western side has its borders near the Rocky Mountains (they are separated from Alberta by British Columbia). From the North, the border with the Northwest Territories passes along the 60th parallel. Alberta is the fourth largest province in Canada. The territory of Alberta covers about one-fifteenth of the territory of Canada.
Climate
The northern part of Alberta lies quite close to the Arctic Circle – therefore, especially in its northern winter, it is quite long & cold. Summer is short-lived. To the south, the climate becomes warmer. The weather is influenced by the proximity of the mountains & winds. The northern part of Alberta is Canada taiga & meadows.
Economy
The economy of Alberta is one of the strongest in Canada. It is supported by increased oil production, agriculture & technology development in various fields. In 2013, GDP per capita was $84,390. At the same time, according to the research of the Fraser Institute, Alberta has a very high level of economic freedom.
The oil sands of Athabasca contain oil reserves roughly equal to the reserves of the rest of the world (1,600 billion barrels).
Agriculture plays a significant role in the life of the province. Most of Canadian meat products are produced in Alberta. A huge number of forests allow producing lumber, chipboard, plywood, paper.
The Government of Alberta allocates significant funds for the development of research activities. For example, studies in the field of liquid crystal displays were supported.
Alberta is one of the main tourist centers of North America. In its territory, everyone who wants to find an occupation for themselves – hikes, festivals, sports events & much more – will be able to do it. Of course, the main thing is amazing nature. Five of the fourteen Canadian sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List are located within the province.