Bow River Valley, Banff National Park © Travel Alberta
The vast nation of Canada, second largest country in the world,
offers a range of experiences for visitors that are as wide as the
land itself. From its large cosmopolitan cities to its frozen
northern tundra; its snowy mountain peaks to its rugged coastlines;
and its rich farmlands to its pioneering outposts, Canada offers
something to suit the taste of every traveller. Canada is bound in
the west by the Pacific Ocean and Alaska, to the east by the
Atlantic Ocean, to the north by the polar ice cap, and in the south
by the United States of America.
It is a country renowned for its stunningly beautiful scenery
and love of the outdoors. Even the cities have been carefully
designed to preserve metropolitan green belts and parklands,
ensuring that Canadians are never far from their natural heritage.
The country has a French and British colonial heritage, which is
reflected in its cuisine, culture and customs, mixed in with the
legacy of the country's own enigmatic aboriginal First Nations
history.
In the south the Rocky Mountains intrude into Canada across the
border with the United States, separating Canada's two main tourist
provinces, British Columbia and Alberta. The mountains abound with
winter sports resorts. Throughout the nation the most popular
venues for outdoor pursuits, year round, are the country's huge
national parks. There are more than 41 of these, one of them, Wood
Buffalo National Park in Alberta, being larger than the country of
Switzerland. Canadian national parks are unique in that they have
cities and towns inside the protected areas, which provide
comfortable bases for exploring the natural and manmade attractions
of the reserves.
