39 Alberta Facts: The Canadian Province Circumscribed With Mountains!

Akinwalere Olaleye
Oct 13, 2023 By Akinwalere Olaleye
Originally Published on Jan 24, 2022
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Read all about Alberta Province in Canada.

Alberta offers some incredibly beautiful scenery and landscapes that comprise rocky mountains, forests, and lakes.

Alberta is one of the most popular Canadian provinces; it attracts many tourists from around the globe. The Canadian province of Alberta comes under the northwestern territory of Canada. 

It is bordered on the northwest territories by British Columbia, on the east by Saskatchewan, on the north by the Northwest Territories, and on the south by the US state of Montana. Alberta is a Canadian province that is completely landlocked and shares only one single western North American border.

Alberta serves as the primary place for Canada’s oil and gas industry. Fort McMurray serves as the Canadian oil sands, and it is the main production area of Canadian oil.

Alberta has more than five national parks and 100 provincial parks, it is one of the best places to visit; there is a lot to see and explore. Continue reading to find out some interesting Alberta facts about the province located along the Arctic Ocean.

Geography: Alberta

The Rocky Mountains of this region run down to the border neighboring British Columbia, making the geography of Alberta really interesting.

Here are some Alberta facts, Alberta is the fourth largest province in Canada after Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia. Edmonton, Alberta's capital city, lies about in the geographic center of the province.

It is Canada's most northerly major city, and it serves as a gateway and hub for northern Alberta resource development. Alberta has close proximity to Canada's main oil resources; the area is home to the majority of western Canada's oil refinery capacity.

Calgary is around 175 mi (280 km) south of Edmonton and 150 mi (240 km) north of Montana and is bordered by vast ranching land. The Calgary–Edmonton Corridor is home to about 75% of Alberta's population (Alberta has an estimated total population of more than 4 million people as of 2021).

The majority of northern Alberta is a boreal forest with rocky mountains. Southern Alberta consists of prairie that ranges from shortgrass prairie to mixed-grass prairie.

Both Alberta and its neighboring provinces have the most fertile soil in the country. Most of the unforested part of Alberta is used for dairy farming or grain farming purposes.

Alberta has many parks and lakes which are used for various purposes by people of the province. Banff National Park of Alberta is the oldest national park in the country and was established in 1885.

Wood Buffalo National Park is the second-largest park in Canada and contains the world’s largest fresh-water deltas. The provincial government of Alberta has taken great care of the maintenance of these parks and fresh-water rivers.

The Calgary – Edmonton Corridor is one of the most urbanized areas of the Alberta region. Lake Athabasca in the region serves as a hub for uranium and gold mining. Another city in Alberta that serves as an agriculture production zone is Red Deer. Alberta is the Canadian oil sands mine.

The distance between Alberta and Toronto is around 2,346 mi (3,754 km)!

Climate: Alberta

Without mentioning Alberta’s unique weather conditions, facts about Alberta would be incomplete. The entire region of Western Canada has unique temperature and weather conditions.

Alberta gets the most sunlight of any Canadian province and has a mild climate. Winters are dry, sunny, and cold.

However, Chinook winds, which occur when warm, dry air from the Pacific descends the eastern slopes of the Rockies, can raise temperatures by 71.6 F (22 C) in an hour fewer, summers are hot and humid unless in drought years, with damaging hail storms and tornadoes on occasion.

Edmonton's average and extreme temperatures are 57-124 F (14-51 C) in January and 61-95 F (16-35 C) in July. Edmonton receives 18 in (45 cm) of annual precipitation, compared to 12 in (30 cm) in the arid southeast and more than 50 in (127 cm) in the highlands.

From June through August, around half of the annual precipitation falls. Alberta is one of the most climatic regions in Canada.

Lake Louise and Banff National Park are in Alberta, Canada

Tourism: Alberta

Alberta is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Western Canada, a trip to Canada is incomplete without visiting this province.

The most visited tourist spots in Alberta are Banff National Park and Lake Louise. Every single activity, such as hiking, river rafting, and skiing.

is conducted around the spots of Lake Louise and Banff National Park, which makes them a hotspot for every tourist. Lake Louise is named after Princess Louise. Moraine Lake in Banff National Park is famous for its exotic views.

In terms of natural beauty, Jasper National Park is similar to Banff, but it is more difficult to get, offers fewer activities, and is hence less popular. Some prefer its more laid-back atmosphere.

In Alberta's far southwest corner, the tiny mountain settlements of Canmore Kananaskis, near Banff, and Waterton Lakes National Park are even more laid-back. In Jasper National Park, Columbia Icefield is one of the most accessible ice glaciers.

The Rocky Mountain parks are all within a couple of hours' drive of the two major cities. The icefields parkway is a stretch of road which connects Banff National Park and Jasper National Park; it is important for the connectivity of southern Alberta. Mount Columbia is the highest point in Alberta, Canada.

In Calgary, the Calgary Stampede is the biggest Canadian party event, and it takes place in the city for 10 days. Calgary Stampede is a 100-year-old event where people watch traditional cowboy sports such as bronco riding and steer wrestling.

Tourists also enjoy live concerts, shopping, and other carnival events alongside this event. Dinosaur Provincial Park is another great tourist spot in the city.

Tourists can see dinosaur bones while hiking in this park; more than 50 different species of dinosaurs have been recorded and found in this park.

The city's most recognized feature is the 528 ft (160 m) high Calgary Tower, which, like other similar structures, has a revolving restaurant and observation deck at the top. However, it is no longer Calgary's tallest structure; that accolade now belongs to the Bow Building, which is known for its criss-cross shape and can be seen from afar.

The Alberta government maintains Glenbow Museum, which provides a deep history of Alberta, artworks and other kinds of works are also presented in the museum for tourists to view. With regularly changing exhibits, the Art Gallery of Alberta has the province's biggest collection of historical and modern art from both Canadian and foreign artists.

The capital city of Alberta has a lot of options for tourists. The North Saskatchewan River divides Edmonton in half, and large parklands surround the shores.

The downtown area is on the north side of the city. The large sandstone edifice that houses the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and four glass pyramids on the south side of the river that holds the Muttart Conservatory, a massive indoor garden, and museum, is among the city's most recognizable buildings.

On the roof of the remarkable City Hall structure lies an equally large glass pyramid. Sir Winston Churchill Square, a wide public square, surrounds city hall.

Safety Scenario: Alberta

No one wants to travel to a region that is not safe, and Alberta, Canada, is one of the safest provinces in the country for tourists.

Alberta has a violent crime index of 32, which is below Canada’s national average of 75. Tourists do not have to worry while visiting the province.

However, it is still important to take precautions. While visiting mountain parks or glacier parks in the region, park passes are required, which can be directly bought at the parks' entry. The postal code of Alberta is T9S.

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Written by Akinwalere Olaleye

Bachelor of Arts specializing in English Literature

Akinwalere Olaleye picture

Akinwalere OlaleyeBachelor of Arts specializing in English Literature

As a highly motivated, detail-oriented, and energetic individual, Olaleye's expertise lies in administrative and management operations. With extensive knowledge as an Editor and Communications Analyst, Olaleye excels in editing, writing, and media relations. Her commitment to upholding professional ethics and driving organizational growth sets her apart. She has a bachelor's degree in English Literature from the University of Benin, Edo State. 

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