Calgary

Calgary is the largest city in the Alberta province of Canada, and the third largest city (in terms of population) in the country. Calgary is a popular winter sport hub, with quite a few key mountain resorts near the city and metropolitan area. The city played host to the XV Olympic Winter Games in 1988.Located at the base of the Rocky Mountains, Calgary is approximately 1048 meters above sea level. Two major rivers run through the city, the Bow River flowing from the west to the south, while the Elbow flows south to north, until it meets with the Bow River near downtown. A dry city, Calgary receives relatively low snow and rain.

Calgary's economy is largely driven by petroleum, with agriculture and tourism being the other contributors to the city's economic growth. The city is second only to Toronto in the country for its nucleus of corporate head offices and claims a higher GDP per capita than any other major Canadian city. Its downtown is dotted profusely with skyscrapers, among which the Calgary Tower stands out as a symbol of the city.

Calgary has evolved into a modern cosmopolitan city, while holding on to its tradition of hotel saloons, hockey and western music. A multi-cultural melting pot, it has one of the largest Chinatowns in Canada as well as a Little Italy. The city boasts the largest urban park in North America, the Fish Creek Provincial Park.

Calgary is also home to the world's most extensive skyway network called the +15, as the bridges are usually 15 feet above grade.Calgary hosts several annual festivals like the Folk Music Festival, The Lilac Festival, and the second largest Caribbean festival in the country- Carifest, among others. However, the city's most famous festival is the Calgary Stampede, a massive agricultural fair and rodeo, every July. The Stampede goes back 93 years and is the self-proclaimed "Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth". Known as the Nashville of the North, the city also played a key role in the revival of country music in the 1990s.

By: Marcus Peterson