Edmonton
Edmonton is a metropolitan area in Canada
Inhabitants: 1,080,000 (World Rank 423)
Current Time:  
 
 
Flag Canada
Edmonton (IPA: /ˈɛdmɨntɨn/) is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. The city is located on the North Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province, an area with some of the most fertile farmland on the prairies. It is the second largest city in Alberta after Calgary, with a population of 730,372 (2006), and is the hub of Canada's sixth largest census metropolitan area, with a metropolitan population of 1,076,103 (2006), making it the northernmost North American city with a metropolitan population over one million.
At 684 square kilometres (264 sq mi), the City of Edmonton covers an area larger than Chicago, Philadelphia, Toronto or Montreal. Edmonton has one of the lowest population densities in North America, about 9.4% that of New York City. A resident of Edmonton is known as an Edmontonian.
Edmonton serves as the northern anchor of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor (one of four regions that together comprise 50% of Canada's population) and is a staging point for large-scale oil sands projects occurring in northern Alberta and large-scale diamond mining operations in the Northwest Territories.
Edmonton is Canada's second most populous provincial capital (after Toronto) and is a cultural, government and educational centre. It plays host to a year round slate of world-class festivals, earning it the title of "The Festival City". It is home to North America's largest mall, West Edmonton Mall, and Canada's largest historic park (Fort Edmonton Park). In 2004, Edmonton celebrated the centennial of its incorporation as a city.