Southern Alberta

Southern Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta. In 2004, the region's population was approximately 272,017.[1][2] The primary cities are Lethbridge and Medicine Hat. The region is known mostly for agricultural production, but other sectors, such as alternative energy, film production and tourism, are emerging.

Geography

The region has a total area of approximately 75,500 km² (29,151 sq mi).

Southern Alberta is in the northern Great Plains region, lined to the west by the Canadian Rockies and their foothills. The rest of region is dominated by the semi-arid prairies of the Palliser's Triangle, where farms and ranches have been built, often with the help of irrigation. Rivers generally flow from west to east and include the Oldman River, Bow River, Red Deer River and South Saskatchewan River.

The environment is protected in such areas as Waterton Lakes National Park, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park and Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, while sites such as Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump and Dinosaur Provincial Park were declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Alberta Badlands are developed in the north-east of the region, prominently along the Red Deer River. Cypress Hills, located in the east, at the border with Saskatchewan, are the highest point between the Rocky Mountains and Labrador.

Infrastructure

Major highways

Health regions

Economy

In 2007, Alberta Human Resources and Employment reported the fields of finance, insurance, real estate, professions, technicians and senior managers will lead the Lethbridge–Medicine Hat region's growth with an average 2.8% real GDP growth each year until 2011. The industries of manufacturing, energy, mining and forestry would account for 2.6% each. All ten of these fields would account for more than half of the region's domestic product.[3]

Sector Labour force % of total
Agriculture 18,085 13%
Mining 6,450 5%
Manufacturing 11,930 9%
Construction 10,020 7%
Transportation and utilities 7,450 5%
Retail and wholesale 19,865 15%
Finance 4,700 3%
Business and community services 52,110 38%
Public administration 6,110 4%

Politics

On a provincial level, southern Alberta is represented in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta by MLAs elected in the ridings of Airdrie-Chestermere, Cardston-Taber-Warner, Cypress-Medicine Hat, Highwood, Lethbridge East, Lethbridge West, Little Bow, Livingstone-Macleod, Medicine Hat and Strathmore-Brooks.

Municipalities

Notes

  1. ↑ Southwest Regional. Marketplace Profile, AlbertaFirst.com. Accessed 22 December 2006. Archived October 21, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ Southeast Regional Marketplace Profile, AlbertaFirst.com. Accessed 22 December 2006. Archived October 21, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ Mabell, Dave (2006-01-06). "People skills key to building success". Lethbridge Herald. pp. E1.

Coordinates: 50°N 112°W / 50°N 112°W / 50; -112 (Southern Alberta)

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