VISIT CANADA-7

 

Alberta Province of Canada.

Alberta is located to the East of British Columbia and the boundary between these two Canadian provinces partly follows the line of peaks of the Rocky Mountains range along the Continental Divide, which runs in northwesterly direction. It shares an international boundary with Montana State of the United States along 49^th parallel. Alberta has two major cities –Edmonton and Calgary -- with population exceeding one million. Calgary is a major distribution and transportation hub as well as one of Canada's major commerce centres. Edmonton known for famed West Edmonton Mall, is the primary supply and service hub for Canada's oil sands and other northern resource industries. Alberta is named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848—1939), the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. Lake Louise (see the map on top SOUTH), the village of Caroline, and Mount Alberta were also named in honour of Princess Louise.

 

The Rocky Mountains

 

The Rocky Mountains stretch more than 4,800 kilometers from northernmost British Columbia in Canada, to New Mexico in the United States. (see map above) Rivers that flow from the Rocky Mountains eventually drain into three of the world's oceans: the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Arctic Ocean. It may not be commonly known that hidden 1,000 feet beneath the surface of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming states of the U.S.A, lies the largest untapped oil reserve in the world - more than 2 TRILLION barrels.

Banff and Jasper

Alberta's Rocky Mountains include well known tourist destinations Banff National Park and Jasper National Park.(see the map on top SOUTH). The two mountain parks are connected by the scenic Icefields Parkway. Banff is located 128 km west of Calgary on Highway 1, and Jasper is located 295 kms from Banff. Jasper is also connected to Edmonton by Yellowhead Highway (366 km). Banff, Jasper and the Rocky Mountains are visited by about three million people every year.

(To be continued …..)