Capital: Edmonton
Motto: (Strong and Free) Fortis et Liber
Flower: Wild Rose
Population, 2011: 3,645,257
The Land
Roughly half of the southwestern section of the province is dominated by mountains and foothills - striking reminders of the glaciers that, over millions of years, formed, moved and receded in the area. Peaks of the Rocky Mountains located in Alberta range from 2 130 to 3 747 metres in elevation.
Over one-half of the province of Alberta, or approximately 350 000 km2, is covered by forests. Of the total forest area, 216 000 km2 are classified as commercially productive forest land and contain both hardwood and softwood species.
Economy
Alberta has one of the world's most productive agricultural economies, producing about 25 percent of the value of Canada's annual output. Approximately 22 million hectares of cultivated and uncultivated land are used as pasture and forage for livestock. While wheat remains the primary crop, the production of new crops continues to expand as the industry diversifies. The province maintains the largest livestock population in Canada.
Long known as Canada's "energy province," Alberta has more than 65 percent of the country's reserves of conventional crude oil, over 80 percent of its natural gas, and most of its bitumen and oil-sands reserves.
*Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, Copyright (c) 2003
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