Calgary is the largest city in the province of Alberta, Canada. It is in the south of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, approximately 80 km east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies. Calgary is the third largest civic municipality, by population, in Canada. As of April 2006, Calgary's population was 991,759. The estimated metropolitan population (CMA) was 1,060,300 in 2005 (see Calgary Region), making Greater Calgary the fifth largest Census Metropolitan Area in the country. It is located within the relatively densely populated "Calgary-Edmonton Corridor".[1] It is the largest Canadian metropolitan area between Toronto and Vancouver.
A resident of Calgary is known as a Calgarian.
Calgary is well-known as a destination for winter sports and ecotourism with a number of major mountain resorts near the city and metropolitan area. Calgary's economy is mostly centred on the petroleum industry (see Canadian Oil Patch), however agriculture, tourism, and the high-tech industries also contribute to the city's fast economic growth. Calgary also holds many major annual festivals, including the Calgary Stampede, the Folk Music Festival, the Lilac Festival, One World Festival (GlobalFest), and the second largest Caribbean festival in the country (Carifest). In 1988, Calgary became the first Canadian city to host The Olympic Winter Games.
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