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Saskatchewan
is located in western North America, and borders Northwest Territories
(north), Alberta (west), Montana (south), North Dakota (south),
and Manitoba (east). This prairie province grows more than half
the nation's wheat and much of its oats, barley, flaxseed, and canola.
The Great Plains in the south gives way to the rugged, rocky, glacier-scoured
regions in the north. Settlement of this area did not begin until
late in the 19th century after the Canadian Pacific Railway extended
through the area. Today Saskatchewan is showing promise in the natural
gas market. The uranium mine at Key Lake is the world's largest,
and potash mines in the south supply approximately 30 percent of
world demand.
Population
& Geography
Total
Area: 651,036 sq km / 251,366 sq mi1
Population:
996,900 (2007)1
Capital
City: Regina
Largest
Metro Areas: Saskatoon: 241,400; Regina: 201,500 (2007)1
Economy
GDP:
$40.492 billion USD (2006)1
GDP
per capita: $40,618
USD (2006)1
Unemployment
Rate: 4.2% (2007)1
Government
Premier:
Brad Wall (SP) (2007)2
Legislative
Assembly: 38 Saskatchewan Party Reps (including Premier), 19 New Democrats (2007)2
Other Information
Federal Representation:
13 Conservatives, 1 Liberal (2007)3
Origin
of Name: Comes from the Cree, who called the Saskatchewan
River "Kisiskatchewani Sipi," meaning swiftly flowing
river.4
If Saskatchewan were to become the 51st state today...
Area
Rank: 3rd
biggest State (bigger than California, smaller than Texas).5
Population
Rank: 44th
most populous State (bigger than Montana, smaller than Rhode Island).5
GDP
Rank: 48th biggest economy in US (bigger than South Dakota,
smaller than Alaska).6
Congressmen:
1 House Representatives and 2 Senators.
Electoral
Votes:
3
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