Saskatchewan

• the only Canadian province with no natural borders
• one of two land-locked Canadian provinces
• elevation ranges from 213 to 1,468 metres above sea level
• over half the province is forested
• has sand dunes 30 metres high
• fifth largest province, covering 6.5% of Canada's land surface
• has over 100,000 lakes, rivers and bogs
• west central Saskatchewan/Alberta is the sunniest place in Canada with an average of over 2,500 sunny hours a year
• provincial capital Regina
• provincial flower Prairie Lily
• provincial tree White Birch
• provincial bird Sharp-tailed Grouse
• in Central Time Zone, and is the only province that doesn't switch to Daylight Savings time

Saskatchewan is located in the heart of North America, neighbouring the provinces of Manitoba to the east and Alberta to the west. To the south it borders the US states of Montana and North Dakota. To the north are the Canadian territories of Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Google Map

Known for its flat southern plains, over half of Saskatchewan is covered by the boreal forest and aspen parkland. The northern third of the province rests on a formation of Precambrian rock, a westerly extension of the great Canadian Shield. Northern Saskatchewan also includes the the Lake Athabasca Sand Dunes, the largest active sand dunes in the world north of 58°. Southern Saskatchewan contains another area with sand dunes known as the "Great Sand Hills" covering over 300 square kilometres.

One-third of the province is cultivated lands, and one-eighth is covered with water. The southern part of the province is relatively flat, with occasional valleys created by erosion from the glacial era.

The Cypress Hills, located in the southwestern corner, and the Killdeer Badlands are areas that remained unglaciated during the last glaciation period, and contain Saskatchewan's highest point.

Lakes and Rivers - Saskatchewan has over 100,000 lakes, rivers and bogs, and the flat southern prairie is broken by the Qu'appelle Valley system of lakes. The Province has three major river systems all of which empty into Hudson Bay; the Assiniboine, the North and South Saskatchewan and the Churchill.

Climate - Saskatchewan has a moderate climate with four distinct seasons. Temperatures range from +25 degrees Celsius (on average) in summer, to -25 degrees Celsius (on average) in winter. The whole province enjoys a hot, dry summer.

Saskatchewan lies far from any significant body of water. This, combined with its northerly latitude gives it a summer version of humid continental climate in the central and eastern part, drying off to a semi-arid steppe climate in the southern part of the province.

The northern parts of Saskatchewan have a subarctic climate. Summers can be very hot, with temperatures sometimes above 32 °C (90 °F) during the day. While winters can be bitterly cold, with high temperatures not breaking −17 °C (0 °F) for weeks at a time, warm chinook winds often blow from the west, bringing periods of mild weather.

See also

Birding in Saskatchewan

National Parks in Saskatchewan

Amphibians of the Prairies

Reptiles of the Prairies