SASKATCHEWAN

-located in the central prairie region of Canada
-Alberta is west, Manitoba is east
-U.S. to the south and Northwest Territories to the north
-Regina, the capital city, is often called "The Queen City".
-The largest cities are Saskatoon (295,095)and Regina (236,481) according to CMA 2016.
-Regina is the home of the RCMP Training Academy.
-flower - Western Red Lily, tree - White Birch, bird - Sharp-tailed Grouse
-motto: "From many peoples strength"
-"Saskatchewan" comes from a Cree word "Kisiskatchewani Sipi" meaning "swift flowing river", which referred to the
  Saskatchewan River.

LAND AND WATER

-one half is forest, one third is farmland
-over 100,000 lakes, rivers, streams
-northern Saskatchewan - forests, marshes, lakes, rivers
-southern region - mainly flat prairie with some rolling hills and valleys
-sand dunes 30 m. high at Athabasca Provincial Park in northwest Saskatchewan
-"Great Sand Hills" in southwest Saskatchewan
-main rivers: Assiniboine, North and South Saskatchewan and Churchill

THE PEOPLE

-First people : Chipewyan (north) , Assiniboine (east), Blackfoot (west) and Cree
-Métis (of mixed European and Aboriginal descent) were among the first settlers.
-majority of Saskatchewanians are of British origin, followed by Germans and Austrians, native people, Ukrainians,
  Scandinavians, and French
-population just over a million ( 1,098,352 ) 2016 census
-largest cities - Saskatoon and Regina (capital city)
-population of Regina (215,106), Saskatoon (246,376) 2016 census

HISTORY

-The earliest explorer was Henry Kelsey (1690).
-Samuel Hearne built trading posts for the Hudson's Bay Company.
-English and French trappers and fur traders arrived.
-Forts were built to maintain law and order.
-In 1874 North West Mounted Police arrived to establish law and order.
-Settlers were encouraged to come and homestead.
-The railroad was built across the southern part of the province in 1882-83.
-Settlers came from eastern Canada, British Isles, the US, and continental Europe.
-Immigrants arrived in large groups and settled in different regions.
-Settlers included Barr colonists from England, Doukhobors from Russia, Hutterites, Mennonites, Hungarians, Ukrainians, French,
  Germans and Scandinavians.
-Saskatchewan became a province in 1905 with Regina as the capital.

CLIMATE

-long, cold winters and hot, dry summers
-polar air masses bring winter storms with nasty wind chills and blowing snow
-windy both winter and summer

ECONOMY

-grow over 54 percent of Canada's wheat crop
-crops include canola, rye, oats, barley, flaxseeds, wheat, lentils
-raising hogs, cattle and poultry on farms
-forestry in northern Saskatchewan
-rich in minerals (potash, uranium, coal, oil and natural gas)
-world leader in the production of uranium
-leading exporter of potash ( fertilizer )
-Canada's second largest producer of oil (after Alberta)
-third largest producer of natural gas in Canada

PEOPLE AND PLACES

-W.O. MITCHELL (born in Weyburn) wrote about prairie life in his book "Who Has Seen the Wind".
-JEANNE SAUVE (born in Prud'homme) was the first woman to become Governor General of Canada.
-GORDIE HOWE, one of the greatest hockey player of the NHL was born in Floral, Sask.
-ALLAN SAPP, a world-renowned Plains-Cree artist was born on the Red Pheasant Reserve.
-BRENT BUTT (born in Tisdale) created and starred in "Corner Gas" a comedy series on TV.
-BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE, a well-known singer/songwriter, was born on the Piapot Reserve in the Qu'Appelle Valley

-Tunnels of Moose Jaw : underground passageways used by the Chinese, gangsters and bootleggers.
-Big Muddy Badlands : unusual land formations and petroglyphs
-Wanuskewin Heritage Park: archaeological digs provide information about the Indians of the Northern Plains
-RCMP Heritage Centre and Training Academy in Regina
-Grasslands National Park: original shortgrass prairie, herds of pronghorn, rattlesnakes, endangered black-tailed prairie dogs,
  burrowing owls and peregrine falcon
-Prince Albert National Park: only protected white pelican nesting colony in Canada, cabin of Grey Owl, herd of plains bison