Alberta is one of the 10 provinces and three territories that make up the country of Canada. Located in the western part of the country, Alberta is bordered by the province of British Columbia to the west, the North West Territories to the north, the province of Saskatchewan to the east and the United States of America to the south. Approximately three million people call Alberta home.

Weather: Alberta weather is always changing. Temperatures can vary greatly within the same month, season or even in one 24-hour period! Temperatures range from 30°C at the height of summer to -30°C in the middle of winter. During the colder months, buildings are heated to a comfortable temperature (generally around 20°C). Buses and cars are also equipped with heaters. When venturing outdoors, however, it is necessary to dress warmly and in layers to protect against the winter cold.

Alberta weather also varies throughout the province. For example, in the southwest part of the province, warm winds known as "chinooks" periodically alleviate the otherwise colder temperatures in the winter. All parts of the province, however, enjoy four distinct seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter. Spring usually begins in mid-March and lasts until May, summer from May to early September, fall from September to November and winter lasts from December to March.

Alberta is a relatively dry province. The amount annual precipitation for southeastern Alberta is only 30 cm (11.8 inches). Northern Alberta averages about 40 - 45 cm (15.7 - 17.7 inches) while the Foothill region receives about 55 - 60 cm (21.6 - 23.6 inches).

In Alberta, you will get your fair share of sunshine. The northern part of the province enjoys 2,300 hours of sunshine a year. The southern part receives 1,900 hours per year.

Education: Alberta has 62 publicly-funded school jurisdictions. These school jurisdictions oversee the operation of various types of public schools, including Roman Catholic and francophone. There are also accredited private as well as chartered schools in Alberta. All of these schools are staffed by certified Alberta teachers and cover the Alberta curriculum, which is developed and standardized by the Ministry of Education.

Economy: Alberta's strong economy is supported mainly by the energy and agriculture industries. Alberta is home to the Athabasca Oil Sands, one of the largest oil reserves in the world. In addition, nearly one third of Canada's main field crops (i.e. wheat, oats, barley, canola and dry peas) are grown in Alberta. Strategies to diversify the economy have been remarkably successful as jobs in manufacturing, services and research and innovation continue to grow.

Government: In Alberta, the provincial government manages the affairs of the province, including education. The head of the provincial government is called the Premier. There are also municipal governments, which are responsible to manage the affairs of cities, towns or districts. The head of municipal governments are generally called Mayors or Reeves.

Cost of living : The figures listed below are approximations only and are subject to change. They are included here to give a basic indication of what it costs to live in Alberta.

For more information about Alberta visit http://www.gov.ab.ca/home/