| dbo:abstract |
The Palliser Region is an area in the southeast corner of the province of Alberta, Canada that has been delineated and is serviced by the Palliser Economic Partnership. It borders the Canadian province of Saskatchewan to the east, and the US state of Montana to the south. It covers an area of 43,504 km2 (16,797 sq mi) The total population of the area stood at 112,314 in 2009. The city of Medicine Hat, with a population of 61,097, is the area’s largest urban centre. The Palliser Region is the traditional territory of the Blackfoot Confederacy, who hunted bison throughout the area. From 1857 to 1860, the area was explored as part of the Palliser Expedition, led by John Palliser. He described the area of southeast Alberta and southwest Saskatchewan – now known as the Palliser Triangle – as semi-arid, and warned that it was unsuitable for agricultural development. European settlement began with the arrival of the North-West Mounted Police in the mid 19th century. Fort Walsh was established by Police Inspector James Morrow Walsh, who became a good friend of Sitting Bull when he led the Sioux to the area after the Battle of Little Big Horn. Despite the area’s semi-arid climate, the British government encouraged farmers to settle in the region. They struggled with drought up until the end of the 1930s, and many settlers abandoned their farms due to crop failure, but dryland farming techniques introduced by the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration eventually transformed the region into a successful agricultural centre. The region’s geography is characterized by grasslands – including the Cypress Hills – and classic badlands country. The region receives more than 2,512 hours of sunshine per year on average, making it the sunniest area in Canada. The three fastest growing economic sectors in the Palliser Region are Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction, Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, and Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Leasing. Employment in the region is currently increasing at more than double the Canadian average. The Palliser Region is intersected by two major highways, #1 and #3 on the east–west axis, connecting it to the rest of Canada, and two secondary highways, #36 and #41, on the north–south axis, which connect it to the US border. It is served by the Canadian Pacific Railway, which connects it to the rest of North America via connections with its affiliates. This transportation infrastructure is key to the region’s economy, which is based on agriculture, oil and gas, manufacturing, defence and aerospace, and tourism. (en) |
| rdfs:comment |
The Palliser Region is an area in the southeast corner of the province of Alberta, Canada that has been delineated and is serviced by the Palliser Economic Partnership. It borders the Canadian province of Saskatchewan to the east, and the US state of Montana to the south. It covers an area of 43,504 km2 (16,797 sq mi) The total population of the area stood at 112,314 in 2009. The city of Medicine Hat, with a population of 61,097, is the area’s largest urban centre. (en) |
