Saskatchewan is a
prairie province in Canada. The population live in the province's
largest city, Saskatoon, and in the provincial capital, Regina.
Other major cities include Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, Yorkton,
Swift Current and North Battleford.
Saskatchewan was first
explored by Europeans in 1690 and settled in 1774, having also
been inhabited for thousands of years by various indigenous
groups. It became a province in 1905. Its major industries are
agriculture, mining, and energy. In 1992, the federal and
provincial governments signed a historic land claim agreement
with Saskatchewan First Nations. Under the Agreement, the First
Nations received money to buy land on the open market. As a
result, about 761,000 acres have been turned into reserve land
and many First Nations continue to invest their settlement
dollars in urban areas, including Saskatoon. The province's name
is derived from the Saskatchewan River. The river was designated
kisiskaciwani-sipiy,"swift flowing river" in the Cree
language.
< Back to the index
