Edmonton

Edmonton was the dominant center for the western fur trade during the 19th century. The city is on the site of Edmonton House, which was an important 19th-century trading post. Edmonton grew slowly in the 20th century, relying on its agriculture-based economy. Before World War II, it was only the ninth largest city in Canada, but the discovery of petroleum at Leduc, Redwater and Pembina in 1947, transformed Edmonton into one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada. Its population increased more than six-fold from 1941 to 1987. Nowadays, Edmonton is the center of the largest metropolitan area in Alberta, the most westerly of the prairie provinces. It is also the provincial capital and often referred to as the 'Gateway to the North'.

Alberta's famed mineral legacy can be explored in Edmonton's Provincial Museum and the city boasts Canada's largest planetarium, which is accompanied by an IMAX theatre. Edmonton has an attractively wooded riverside setting, with parklands following the banks of the Saskatchewan River. The gem south of the river is Old Strathcona, a residential area of gorgeous old buildings that dates from 1891. It is interspersed with cafes, bookshops and buskers.

Edmonton is home to West Edmonton Mall, which opened in 1981 and covers 48 hectares (118 acres), making it the world's largest shopping and entertainment mall. The mall includes some 800 shops, an artificial beach and a skating rink.

Edmonton is a major market center for farm and petrochemical products. The city's economy is largely based on the production of oil, coal and natural gas. Other industries include lumbering, meatpacking, flour milling and dairying.

Edmonton is home to the University of Alberta, which was established in 1906 and Athabasca University from 1972. Edmonton's National Hockey League team, the Oilers, was the dominant team in the 1980's, winning five championships under the leadership of Wayne Gretzky. Canadian football's Eskimos also play there.

There are many hotels and restaurants in Edmonton. The city is on the North Saskatchewan River, in central Alberta between the fertile valleys of the south and the rich resources of the north. It is 2820 km northwest from Ottawa.