Major Centres
Approximately two-thirds of Alberta's population live in Edmonton and Calgary. While each city offers distinctive attractions, residents of both cities enjoy a high standard of living. Both Edmonton and Calgary contain world class health facilities, roads and public transit systems. The variety of restaurants, sporting events, theatre performances and shopping districts also provide young people with a wide array of recreational activities.

Smaller Cities
Alberta contains a number of important but substantially smaller urban centres, which contain anywhere from 30,000 to 100,000 residents. These smaller cities are thriving hubs of commerce and are located between Alberta's major urban centres and its rural communities. As a result, their residents enjoy the conveniences of a modern city along with the friendly atmosphere of a small town.

Towns and Rural Areas
The majority of Alberta¡¯s rural population live in small towns that have unique characteristics and traditions and are located amidst some of Alberta's most stunning scenery. The rural regions are geographically expansive and diverse. They include some of Alberta’s most famous tourism sites (i.e. Banff and Jasper National Parks, Dinosaur Provincial Park) alongside communities that form the heart of Alberta agricultural industry. Alberta's towns and rural areas are ideal places to visit if you are looking to experience life in a small town or on an acreage, ranch or farm.

For more information on distances in Alberta please see Travel Alberta's distance calculator at http://www1.travelalberta.com/en-us/index.cfm?pageid=2155