Calgary, Alberta

Calgary is the largest city in the province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, approximately 80 km east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies. Calgary is the third largest civic municipality, by population, in Canada. As of the national census 2011, Calgary's population was 1,096,833. The metropolitan population (CMA) was 1,214,839 in 2011, making Greater Calgary the fifth largest Census Metropolitan Area in the country. Because it is located 300 km (185 miles) due south of Edmonton, statisticians define the narrow, populated region between these cities as the "Calgary-Edmonton Corridor". It is the largest Canadian metropolitan area between Toronto and Vancouver.

A resident of Calgary is known as a Calgarian.

Calgary is well-known as a destination for winter sports and ecotourism with a number of major mountain resorts near the city and metropolitan area. Economic activity in Calgary is mostly centred on the petroleum industry; however, agriculture, tourism, and high-tech industries also contribute to the city's fast economic growth. Calgary also holds many major annual festivals which include the Calgary Stampede, the Folk Music Festival, the Lilac Festival, One World Festival (GlobalFest), and the second largest Caribbean festival in the country (Carifest). In 1988, Calgary became the first Canadian city to host the Olympic Winter Games and one of the fastest ice skating rinks in the world was built to accomodate these games.