Jasper

Alberta is home to two of the largest cities in Canada, Edmonton and Calgary, but it was not that long ago that this province was mostly unpopulated. The main attractions here are the historic sites, diverse scenery, wildlife and the huge variety of reccreational activities there is on offer.

The main source of income for this province is its huge wheat farms, cattle ranches and rich deposits of fossil fuels and minerals.

The Rocky Mountains is a big attraction with visitors from all over the globe. People come here to see the beauty, wilderness and winter sports that this area has to offer and it also houses Banff and Jasper National Parks.

Alberta is bordered in the south by Montana, west by British Columbia, north by Northwest Territories and in the east by Saskatchewan. The south-western edge of the province is the Rocky Mountains and the rest of the south is mainly dry and flat, the northern area of Alberta is mainly rivers, forests and lakes and the north-east of the province is rugged and mostly inaccessible.

Alberta on average has more sunshine than any other province in Canada. Summers are warm and the further south you go the hotter it gets. Especially in July and August. The best time to travel is in August and September when the weather is warm and dry. The average annual rainfall is about 450mm, with most of it falling in June and early July. In the mountainous areas of Alberta the summers are pretty short and the evening get very cool.

From early October, the snow storms start and the temperatures can stay at freezing temperatures for weeks. In the south the cold temperatures of winter can be reduced by winds which are called Chinooks. A chinook is a warm and dry, south westerly, winter wind which blows off the Rocky Mountains.