Calgary sits in a vast, often brown coloured plain in Southern Alberta.
The prairie here is far above sea level: Calgary’s elevation is 1050 metres (3445 feet) above sea level.
Calgary is Alberta’s largest city, larger than Edmonton, the province’s capital. Calgary has grown rapidly in recent years.
Calgary’s latitude – 51 degrees north – is similar to London, Paris, Seattle and Vancouver.
Its high latitude results in long days in summer and long nights in winter.
Calgary is semi-arid – hence the brown landscape.
Sitting on the prairies, the city enjoys plenty of sunshine with low rainfall.
The Rocky Mountains rise dramatically to the west.
Of all Canada’s provinces, Alberta’s character is most like the USA. Alberta has cowboy boots, rodeos, cow festivals (Calgary is sometimes called Cowtown) and American spellings. Its government is to the right of Canada’s other provinces. Alberta has a reputation for socially conservative attitudes.
Calgary has a lower violent crime rate than any other major city in Canada.