The capital of ALBERTA and largest city in the province (by CMA), it is strategically situated on an economic divide between the highly productive farmlands of central Alberta and a vast, resource-rich northern hinterland.

Economy
Edmonton's economy has always been driven by resource wealth. It is the major supply and service centre for a vast territory extending from central Alberta to the Arctic Ocean. Agriculture, oil and natural gas and, most recently, forestry provide the staples on which Edmonton's trade and service functions are based. Processing and manufacturing have increased in importance as well, especially as Edmonton has sought to broaden its economic base.
A resource economy can swing quickly between boom and bust, as Edmonton learned in the depression of the 1980s. In terms of employment, Edmonton's greatest growth since 1951 has been in the tertiary or service sector. It is particularly notable as a centre for public administration (federal and provincial) and for educational and medical services of the highest calibre. In turn, these are spawning an array of high-tech industries vital to the restructuring of Edmonton's economy. In another recent development, military services for Western Canada were consolidated at a new "super-base" called Edmonton Garrison.

Cultural Life
The Edmonton Symphony Society, the Edmonton Opera Association and the Citadel Theatre are 3 of the largest performing arts organizations in Canada, but they are merely the most visible elements in a prolific arts scene in Edmonton. There are musical and theatrical performances for every taste, and numerous talented painters, potters, actors, directors, writers, poets, filmmakers and musicians are based in the city.
In August 1997 Edmonton's International Fringe Theatre Festival, a 9-day showcase for local, regional and international performing artists, attracted some 425 000 people, making it the largest annual festival of its kind in Canada and the third-largest theatre festival in the world.