Northern Alberta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Norhern Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta.
Its primary industry is oil and gas, with large heavy oil reserves being exploited at the Athabasca Oil Sands and Wabasca Area in the east of the region. Mostly natural gas is extracted in Peace region and Chinchaga-Rainbow areas in the west, and forestry and logging are also developed in the boreal forests of this region.
Northern Alberta encompasses census divisions 16, 17, 18 and 19.
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[edit] Geography
The region consists of aspen parkland in the south, grading to boreal forest and muskeg in the north.
The south-west of the region is part of the Peace Country, an area that stretches in north-eastern British Columbia, consisting of fertile prairie, ranchland and farmland along the Peace River and its tributaries.
Northern Alberta is crossed by the Peace River and the lower course of the Athabasca River. Other major rivers are Wapiti, Hay, Chinchaga, Petitot Rivers in the west, Wabasca River in the center and Firebag and Clearwater River in the east. Alberta's two largest waterbodies, Lake Athabasca and Lake Claire are located in the wetlands of north-eastern Alberta, forming the Peace-Athabasca Delta, that drains through the Slave River towards the Arctic Ocean.
The Caribou Mountains are an elevated plateau in the relatively flat Albertan north, and provide core habitat for an endangered woodland caribou herd. This area is conserved by the Caribou Mountains Wildland Park. The adjacent Wood Buffalo National Park is Canada's largest protected area.
Other tourist attractions in Northern Alberta include the Fort McMurray Historical Society-Heritage Park, Historic Dunvegan, Kimiwan Birdwalk and Interpretive Centre, Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory in the Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park, Muskoseepi Park, Oil Sands Discovery Centre.[1]
[edit] Infrastructure
[edit] Transportation
Highway 43 and Highway 2 pass through the southwest of the region, this being the end of the CANAMEX corridor. Other important routes are the Mackenzie Highway and Bicentennial Highway in the northwest, the Northern Woods and Water Route in the south-east and Highway 63 in the east.[2]
Grande Prairie Airport, Peace River Airport and Fort McMurray Airport are regional air transportation hubs.
[edit] Health Regions
The following health regions are located in the region: Aspen Regional Health Authority (part), Northern Lights Health Region, Peace Country Health Region.
[edit] Politics
On a provincial level, northern Alberta is represented in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta by MLA's elected in the ridings of Athabasca-Redwater, Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock, Bonnyville-Cold Lake, Dunvegan-Central Peace, Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo, Grande Prairie Smoky, Grande Prairie Wapiti, Lac La Biche-St. Paul, Lesser Slave Lake and Peace River.
[edit] Communities
Grande Prairie, Alberta is the only city located in this region. The Wood Buffalo census agglomeration, centered around Fort McMurray is another important economic center.
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[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Travel Alberta. Attractions in Alberta. Retrieved on 2007-01-06.
- ^ Alberta Motor Association. Northern Alberta - Road report. Retrieved on 2007-01-11.
[edit] External links
- Travel Alberta - Alberta North
- Alberta Regions - Alberta Heritage
- DiscoverThePeaceCountry.com featuring Villages, Towns, Cities, Parks and Lakes of Northern Alberta
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