Geography of Alberta facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Geography of Alberta
Continent	North America
Region	Western Canada Canadian Prairies
Coordinates	54°59′30″N 114°22′36″W / 54.99167°N 114.37667°W / 54.99167; -114.37667
Area	Ranked 6th among provinces and territories
• Total	661,848 km2 (255,541 sq mi)
• Land	97.05%
• Water	2.95%
Coastline	0 km (0 mi)
Borders	Total land borders: United States Montana; Canada British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Northwest Territories
Highest point	Mount Columbia 3,747 m (12,293 ft)
Lowest point	Slave River 210 m (690 ft)
Longest river	Athabasca River 1,231 km (765 mi)
Largest lake	Lake Athabasca 2,295 km (1,426 mi)

Alberta is one of Canada's thirteen provinces and territories. It is located in Western Canada and covers a huge area of about 661,190 km² (255,290 sq mi). Alberta shares its southern border with the US state of Montana. To the east, it borders the province of Saskatchewan, and to the north, the Northwest Territories. On its western side, Alberta meets British Columbia, partly along the Rocky Mountains and partly along a specific longitude line. Alberta is special because it is one of only two Canadian provinces that do not touch the ocean.

Alberta's Landscape

A grain farm on the prairie northwest of Edmonton, Alberta.

Alberta's landscape was greatly shaped by the Wisconsin Glaciation. This was a time about 75,000 to 11,000 years ago when the entire province was covered in a thick sheet of ice. As the ice melted and moved away, it changed the land and left behind large amounts of glacial till, which is a mix of rocks and soil.

The southern part of Alberta is mostly flat plains with very few trees. As you move west towards the Rocky Mountains, you start to see more trees. In the foothills, there are many forests. Trees also become more common in the northern part of the province. North of the North Saskatchewan River, you will find continuous forests.

The southern plains are quite dry but have good soil. They can grow excellent crops if they are watered using irrigation. North of this dry area, the soil is very fertile, and regular rainfall is enough for farming. Alberta is also rich in oil reserves, especially in the Athabasca oil sands in the north.

The prairie areas look like rolling grasslands. They have rounded hills covered with shorter grasses, which are perfect for raising large herds of beef cattle. The wooded parts of Alberta have groups of trees of different sizes, making them look like a park. In winter, it is usually very cold. However, a warm wind from the west, called the Chinook, can sometimes make the cold weather much milder.

Majestic Mountains

Mount Columbia and King Edward in the background.

If the weather is clear, you can see the mountains from about 100 km (62 mi) away. They look like a line of snowy peaks stretching along the western horizon for hundreds of kilometers. The Canadian Rockies rise gradually from the east. However, they are very steep on their western side, which faces British Columbia. These mountains are truly grand, with many peaks reaching over 3,000 m (9,800 ft) above sea level.

Here are some of the most famous peaks:

• Mount Columbia – 3,747 m (12,293 ft)
• Twin Peaks massif – 3,684 m (12,087 ft)
• Mount Alberta – 3,619 m (11,873 ft)
• Mount Forbes – 3,612 m (11,850 ft)
• Mount Temple – 3,543 m (11,624 ft)
• Mount Brazeau – 3,525 m (11,565 ft)
• Snow Dome – 3,520 m (11,550 ft)
• Mount Lyell – 3,504 m (11,496 ft)
• Mount Kitchener – 3,505 m (11,499 ft)
• Mount Hungabee – 3,492 m (11,457 ft)

Traveling through these mountains used to be very difficult. Because of this, mountain passes became very important routes. Some of the most well-known passes in Alberta include:

• The Crowsnest Pass: This pass is near the southern border and is used by a branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
• The Kicking Horse Pass: The main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway was built through this pass. About 80 mi (130 km) from the eastern end of this pass is the entrance to Banff National Park. This park is home to the famous tourist town of Banff.
• The Yellowhead Pass: This pass runs west from the Athabasca River. It was discovered in 1858 and was used by early explorers and tourists.

The Caribou Mountains are not part of the Canadian Rockies. They are located in northern Alberta and form a high plateau in the northern plains. They reach an altitude of 1,030 m (3,380 ft), which is almost 700 m (2,300 ft) higher than the land around them.

While not considered mountains, the Cypress Hills are in southern Alberta, right on the Saskatchewan border. They are the highest point between the Rocky Mountains and Labrador. They reach a maximum height of 1,468 m (4,816 ft), which is 600 m (2,000 ft) above the surrounding prairie.

Rivers and Lakes

The network of rivers and lakes in Alberta.

Most of Alberta has plenty of water, except for the very southern part. Many streams start in the valleys of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta. These streams join together to form the Oldman River and, further north, the Bow River. These two rivers flow eastward and then combine to become the South Saskatchewan River.

North of this area, many small streams form the Red Deer River, which flows southeast and joins the South Saskatchewan River. Between 52° and 53° north, the large North Saskatchewan River begins. It is joined by a southern river called the Battle River. The North and South Saskatchewan rivers eventually meet to form the Saskatchewan River. This mighty river flows into Lake Winnipeg and then, through the Nelson River, reaches Hudson Bay.

At Mount Athabasca, something very unusual happens. Water from this mountain can flow in three different directions:

• To the Pacific Ocean on the western slope.
• To the Arctic Ocean on the northeast.
• To Hudson Bay on the southeast.

In the northern part of Alberta, all the water flows towards the Arctic Ocean. The Athabasca River starts at Mount Athabasca and flows north, emptying into Lake Athabasca. North of 56° north, the Peace River flows from the Rocky Mountains. After flowing northeast, it meets a stream coming from Lake Athabasca. The combined river, carrying all the water from the Athabasca area, is called the Slave River. This river then flows through Great Slave Lake and becomes the great Mackenzie River, which empties into the Arctic Ocean. So, Alberta is the source of two of Canada's largest rivers: the Saskatchewan and the Mackenzie.

Alberta has many fresh water lakes, and some brackish (slightly salty) ones, most of which are smaller than 260 km² (100 sq mi). However, two lakes are much larger: Lake Athabasca, which is 7,898 km² (3,049 sq mi) (most of it is in Saskatchewan), and Lesser Slave Lake, which is 1,168 km² (451 sq mi).

Alberta's Climate

Different climate types found in Alberta.

Map of Palliser's Triangle, a dry area in southern Alberta.

Alberta stretches about 1,200 km (750 mi) from north to south, so its climate changes a lot from one end to the other. It is also affected by the different heights of the land.

Generally, Alberta's climate is dry. This is because of the rain shadow effect from the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Coast Ranges to the west. These mountains block moisture from reaching Alberta. The climate is also continental, meaning it is far from any large body of water, which usually helps to moderate temperatures.

However, Alberta's winter temperatures can change a lot. This is due to warm, dry winds called chinooks coming from the Rockies, mixing with very cold air from the Yukon. This makes Alberta (and the nearby Mackenzie Basin) have the biggest monthly temperature changes in the world during winter. For example, February 1977 in Edmonton was quite warm, averaging 1.1 °C (34.0 °F). But January 1950 was extremely cold, with Edmonton averaging −27.8 °C (−18.0 °F).

Southern Alberta Climate

Most of Southern Alberta, east of the Rockies and outside the Cypress Hills, is a dry steppe region. This area, especially Palliser's Triangle, gets an average of 280-430mm of rain each year. Under the Köppen climate classification system, most places here are either semi-arid (meaning quite dry) or humid continental. The "humid" part just means they get enough rain not to be fully semi-arid, not that they are very humid.

This region has Alberta's hottest summer temperatures. Winters are quite cold, but the chinook winds often bring temporary warm spells. The natural plants here are mainly dry mixed grass prairie, which changes to mixed grass prairie and then fescue prairie as you go higher up or further north where there is more rain. This area often experiences drought, and farming is difficult without a lot of irrigation.

Central Alberta Climate

Central Alberta has a dry continental climate. Most places here are classified as humid continental. However, some areas in the southeast, near Oyen by the Saskatchewan border, are semi-arid. This region generally gets more rain than Southern Alberta. But the driest parts of Alberta, around Empress, are actually in Central Alberta.

Temperatures in Central Alberta are usually cooler than in Southern Alberta, both in summer and winter. This is because it receives less sunlight and experiences fewer chinook winds. After Southern Ontario, Central Alberta is the part of Canada most likely to have tornadoes. Most of Central Alberta is covered by aspen parkland. The driest areas have mixedgrass prairie, while wetter or cooler areas have mixed boreal forest. The wetter parts of this region, around Edmonton, have some of the most fertile land in the Canadian Prairies.

Northern Alberta Climate

Northern Alberta is the coldest part of the province. Most places here have a subarctic climate, meaning long, cold winters and short, warm summers. However, some areas in the south of this region, including much of the Peace River Country, have a humid continental climate.

Even though Northern Alberta gets less rain than Central Alberta, and similar amounts to Southern Alberta, the lower evapotranspiration (water evaporating from the ground and plants) means the ground stays wetter. The natural plants in Northern Alberta are mainly mixed and coniferous taiga forests. The Peace River Country has aspen parkland. Except for the Peace River Country, this region is generally not very good for farming.

Mountain and Hill Climates

The lower parts of the Rocky Mountains and all but the highest parts of the Cypress Hills have a humid continental climate. These areas have snowy but mild winters because of the warming chinook winds. Summers are cool due to the high elevation.

As you go higher up the mountains, into the subalpine zone, the climate changes to subarctic. This means even harsher winters and cooler summers. Above the tree line, where trees can no longer grow, an alpine climate takes over. Conditions here are even colder and very windy. These high regions get more rain than other parts of Alberta. This moisture supports forests of lodgepole pine and trembling aspen mixed with fescue grasslands in the montane areas. Higher up, you find Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir forests in the subalpine zone. In the alpine zone above the tree lines, you will find small plants like heather, sedges, and mountain avens.

Alberta's Natural Regions

Alberta has many different natural regions, each with its own unique plants and animals. These regions are based on the landscape, climate, and types of vegetation.

Here are the main natural regions and subregions found in Alberta:

• Rocky Mountains
  • Alpine (very high, cold, no trees)
  • Subalpine (just below the treeline, cold forests)
  • Montane (lower mountain slopes, mixed forests and grasslands)
• Foothills
  • Upper Foothills
  • Lower Foothills
• Grassland
  • Dry Mixedgrass
  • Mixedgrass
  • Northern Fescue
  • Foothills Fescue
• Parkland
  • Foothills Parkland
  • Central Parkland
  • Peace River Parkland
• Boreal Forest (large northern forests)
  • Dry Mixedwood
  • Central Mixedwood
  • Lower Boreal Highlands
  • Upper Boreal Highlands
  • Athabasca Plain
  • Peace–Athabasca Delta
  • Northern Mixedwood
  • Boreal Subarctic
• Canadian Shield (ancient rocky land)
  • Kazan Upland