Edmonton is the capital and second largest city in the province of Alberta. It was founded in 1795, incorporated as a town in 1892 and as a city in 1904. The city is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the center of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. Edmonton has a population of 932,546, according to the 2016 population census. This makes it not only the second largest city in Alberta but also the fifth largest municipality in Canada.
According to the census, Edmonton’s metropolitan area has a population of 1,321,426; this makes it the sixth largest census metropolitan area (CMA) in Canada. Besides Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Edmonton is the most northly city in the world.
The city of Edmonton is a major center for the oil and gas industry. The city has been a hub for Alberta petrochemical industries; this earned it the name “Oil Capital of Canada”. The city has the second largest oil, gas, and oil sand reserves in the world, after Saudi Arabia. Besides, Edmonton is also a major center for finances. It is a home to Canadian Western Bank, TD Canada Trust, Manulife Financial, ATB Financial, Servus Credit Union and so forth.
Moreover, the city is rich in culture, arts, and festivals. Some of the major theatres include Shadow Theatre, Varscona Theatre, the Walterdale Playhouse, Plane Jane Theatre, and so forth. Some major festivals in Edmonton include K-Days, Fringe Festival, Edmonton Folk Music Festival, the Edmonton International Street Performer’s Festival, and so forth.
To learn more about Edmonton, click here.