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Alberta

Alberta
Flag of Alberta
Flag
Coat of arms of Alberta
Coat of arms
Motto: Latin: Fortis et liber
("Strong and free")
AB
Canadian Provinces and Territories
Confederation September 1, 1905 (split from Northwest Territories) (11th)
Capital Edmonton
Largest city Calgary
Largest metro Calgary Region
Government
 • Type Constitutional monarchy
 • Lieutenant Governor Lois Mitchell
 • Premier Rachel Notley (NDP)
Legislature Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Federal representation (in Canadian Parliament)
House seats 34 of 338 (10.1%)
Senate seats 6 of 105 (5.7%)
Area
 • Total 661,848 km2 (255,541 sq mi)
 • Land 640,081 km2 (247,137 sq mi)
 • Water 19,531 km2 (7,541 sq mi)  3%
Area rank Ranked 6th
  6.6% of Canada
Population (2011)
 • Total 3,645,257
 • Estimate (2016 Q1) 4,231,959
 • Rank Ranked 4th
 • Density 5.7/km2 (15/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Albertan
Official languages English
GDP
 • Rank 3rd
 • Total (2011) C$295.276 billion
 • Per capita C$78,154 (2nd)
Time zone Mountain: UTC-7, (DST−6)
Postal abbr. AB
Postal code prefix T
ISO 3166 code CA-AB
Flower Wild Rose.svg Wild rose
Tree Pinus contorta in the Oregon Cascades.JPG Lodgepole pine
Bird Horned1b.jpg Great horned owl
Website www.alberta.ca
Rankings include all provinces and territories

Alberta (/ælˈbɜːrtə/) is a western province of Canada. With an estimated population of 4,196,457 as of July 1, 2015, it is Canada's fourth-most populous province and the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces. Its area is about 660,000 square kilometres (250,000 sq mi). Alberta and its neighbour Saskatchewan were districts of the Northwest Territories until they were established as provinces on September 1, 1905. The premier has been Rachel Notley since May 2015.

Alberta is bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U.S. state of Montana to the south. Alberta is one of three Canadian provinces and territories to border only a single U.S. state and one of only two landlocked provinces. It has a predominantly humid continental climate, with stark contrasts over a year but seasonal temperature average swings are smaller than to areas further east, due to winters being warmed by occasional chinook winds bringing sudden warming.

Alberta's capital, Edmonton, is near the geographic centre of the province and is the primary supply and service hub for Canada's crude oil, oil sands (Athabasca oil sands) and other northern resource industries.


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