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Alberta is located in western Canada, 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 is also one of only two provinces that are landlocked. Edmonton, the capital city of Alberta, is located near the geographic centre of the province and is the primary supply and service hub for Canada's oil sands and other northern resource industries. Approximately 300 km south of the capital is Calgary, Alberta's largest city and a major distribution and transportation hub. According to recent population estimates, these two census metropolitan areas have now both exceeded 1 million people. Census agglomerations in the province include Lethbridge, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Medicine Hat, Wood Buffalo (includes Fort McMurray), Lloydminster, Brooks, Okotoks, Camrose, Canmore, Cold Lake, and Wetaskiwin. Notable tourist destinations in the province include Canmore, Sylvan Lake, Drumheller, Banff, and Jasper. Alberta is named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848 � 1939), the fourth daughter of Victoria, the Queen of Canada until 1901, and Albert, Prince Consort. Princess Louise was the wife of the Marquess of Lorne, Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883. Lake Louise, the Village of Caroline, and Mount Alberta were also named in honour of Princess Louise. The current Premier of the province is Alison Redford. |