Edmonton occupies a land area of 670 sq km (259 sq mi) on a flat site across which the North Saskatchewan River has carved a broad, deep valley. The metropolitan area occupies a land area of 9537 sq km (3682 sq mi). In earlier times, this valley was the site of industries and workers’ houses, but now it is largely taken up with parks, golf courses, and such attractions as the Muttart Conservatory, Fort Edmonton Park, and the Valley Zoo.

Expensive houses and high-rise apartment buildings line the river bluffs, along with some of Edmonton’s most important public buildings, such as the Alberta Legislature, the Provincial Museum, and the University of Alberta (founded in 1906). North of the valley is the downtown district, marked by a dense cluster of office towers. In the area around Sir Winston Churchill Square are municipal government buildings, law courts, the Edmonton Art Gallery, and the Citadel Theatre. Across the river is the Old Strathcona historic conservation area, where the Fringe Theatre Event takes place every August. Farther out, toward the city limits, are West Edmonton Mall, a modern shopping and entertainment complex that is among the most popular tourist destinations in Alberta, and Edmonton Garrison, the largest military base in western Canada. A 2006 real estate survey has estimated the population of the Edmonton at 1,034,945.

Edmonton, which describes itself as "The Gateway to the North," is the transportation and distribution center for an area reaching to the Arctic Ocean. It is also an important center of government, defense, and other public services, and has the largest concentration of heavy industry in Alberta. The Edmonton region is rich in forest and energy resources, including coal, oil, natural gas, and huge oil sands deposits. The main industries are oil refining and oil field services; the manufacture of fertilizer, plastics, and petrochemicals; brewing; meatpacking; metal fabrication; and nickel refining. In recent years, Edmonton has become an advanced research center specializing in oil sands technology and pharmaceuticals.

Edmonton is situated strategically where the Yellowhead Highway, one of two main routes across western Canada, meets highways leading south to Calgary and north to Alaska. It is served by the Canadian National Railway (for which it is the western Canadian headquarters), the Canadian Pacific Railway, and several Canadian and United States airlines. Edmonton has a light-rail transit (LRT) system, which was the first of its kind in Canada, as well as an international airport and three smaller, special-purpose airports.

In the 1960s a construction boom began in Edmonton, and most of the downtown office towers were built between 1960 and 1985. Traffic became heavy enough that in 1978 a light-rail rapid transit system was installed. The system has since been expanded considerably. Also in 1978, the city hosted the Commonwealth Games, an athletic meet for members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Several sports facilities were built for the games and are still in use, including Commonwealth Stadium, a swimming center, and a velodrome (track designed for cycling). Commonwealth Stadium became the site of a world sporting event again in 1983, when the World University Games were held there.

Other notable features of Edmonton and its surrounding area are the Space and Science Centre; the Rexall Place, where the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL) play; Commonwealth Stadium, which attracts international sporting events and is the home field for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL); and Northlands Exhibition Ground, best known for the fair held during the Klondike Days festival every July. Other attractions include the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, where the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Edmonton Opera, and the Alberta Ballet perform; the Devonian Botanical Gardens; Elk Island National Park; and the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village. Edmonton’s leading educational institutions are the University of Alberta, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (1962), and Grant MacEwan Community College (1971).

Real Estate: Canada - Alberta

Cabin & Cottage Rentals: Alberta - Central Alberta