Alberta is one of Canada’s three prairie provinces. And while Alberta does have vast expanses of prairie, the name is a bit of a misnomer. This is because Alberta is also home to the easternmost reaches of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. As you’ll see, Alberta is a province full of contrasts.
Edmonton and Calgary
The two largest cities in Alberta, Edmonton and Calgary, are urban yet have ties to a more rugged past.
Edmonton - the capital of Alberta
Edmonton is is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. It is Canada's second most populous provincial capital and is a cultural, government and educational centre. It plays host to a year-round slate of world-class festivals, earning it the title of "The Festival City". Edmonton is the main oil-producing region in Canada, and it’s also home to the largest shopping mall in North America. While it is one of Canada's largest cities, it also has one of the lowest population densities because it is spread out over 684km2.
Calgary - the largest city in Alberta
Calgary is the largest city in the province of Alberta. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and high plains, approximately 80 km east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies. Calgary is the third largest civic municipality, by population, in Canada. Calgary is well-known as a destination for winter sports and eco-tourism with a number of major mountain resorts near the city and metropolitan area. In 1988, Calgary became the first Canadian city to host the Olympic Winter Games. Calgary also holds many major annual festivals which includes the Calgary Stampede, the world's largest outdoor rodeo, which provides a contrast to the city orchestra, ballet, and opera.
Both cities are among Canada's largest, and have thriving ethnic communities. Both have their own Chinatown districts.
The contrasts continue when you compare the urban centres to the dozens of provincial parks and five national parks found in Alberta. Majestic Banff is Canada's oldest national park. Jasper, which lies to the north, is similar with its mountainous terrain, glaciers, forests, lakes and diverse wildlife.
The language
When it comes to language English speakers make up about 80% of Alberta's population, while Chinese accounts for 3%. After that, the most common languages are German, French, Punjabi and Tagalog, in that order (with a range of about 2.5% to just under 1%).
Ethnicity
The ethnicity does not seem to directly reflect the languages spoken, but this is partly because of the way each was counted. Approximately 28% of Albertans consider themselves Canadian, 25% English, and just under 20% are German. The Scottish account for 19%, the Irish 16%, those of French heritage make up 11% and Ukrainians 10%. There are several more, but it should be noted that indigenous peoples add up to 5%.
Find out more
Anyone thinking of relocating should find something to their liking in Alberta. One thing is for sure: with all of the diversity you’ll never get bored.