| Calgary is the largest city in the province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and high plains, approximately 80 kilometers (50 mi) east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies. The city is located in the Parkland region of Alberta. Calgary is the third largest civic municipality, by population, in Canada. As of the 2008 civic census, Calgary's population was 1,042,892. The metropolitan population (CMA) was 1,079,310 in 2006,[4] making Greater Calgary the fifth largest census metropolitan area in the country. Because it is located 298 kilometers (178.8 mi) due south of Edmonton, statisticians define the narrow populated area between these cities as the "Calgary- Edmonton Corridor". Calgary is the largest Canadian metropolitan area between Toronto and Vancouver. A resident of Calgary is known as a Calgarian.Calgary is well- known as a destination for winter sports and ecotourism with a number of Major Mountain resorts near the city and metropolitan area. Economic activity in Calgary is mostly centred on the petroleum industry; however, agriculture, tourism, and high- tech industries also contribute to the city's fast economic growth. Glenbow Museum - Located in the heart of Calgary opposite the tower, Canada's largest museum has more than 93,000 square feet (8,640 sq meters) of exhibition space spread over three floors. It houses more than a million objects that fill up its 20 galleries.Calgary Zoo - Canada's second largest zoo includes a botanical garden and prehistoric park, and offers more than 100 rare animals, a variety of birds, species of reptiles and amphibians in natural habitat enclosures. In the prehistoric park there are 19 life- size dinosaur models on display. Fort Calgary - This historical site chronicles Calgary's history between 1875 and the 1940s and allows visitors to step back in time and explore the early days of the city through interactive exhibits, costumed interpreters, hands on activities, guided tours and an entertaining audio- visual presentation. Calgary experiences warm summers and bitterly cold winters, temperatures often dropping well below freezing. The mountains cause Calgary's climate to be rather dry, the little rainfall that does occur falls in summer (June to August). Winters are long and cold and occasionally relieved by a warm wind called a Chinook. The weather in Calgary is highly changeable and daily predictions are often off the mark. |
