Saskatchewan's name originates from the Plains Cree Indians. Their word was "kisiskatchewan," meaning the river that flows swiftly; it refers to the main river in the area. In Saskatchewan's history, the Plains Cree, Assiniboine, and Plains Ojibwa were the principal Canadians of indigenous descent in the south, while to the north, the Slave and Chipewyan people were prominent.

Saskatchewan is located in the heart of North America, neighboring the provinces of Manitoba and Alberta. To the south, it borders the US states of Montana and North Dakota. The ancestry of much of the population comes from Europe, Russia, Scandinavia, and the British Isles. Its population hovers around 1 million, with 76 percent in urban centers and 24 percent in rural areas. While having a small population, Saskatchewan covers 251,704 square miles (651,900 square kilometers), which makes it only slightly smaller than the state of Texas. The borders of this large province are the only provincial borders that are entirely manmade.

Within these borders is more road surface than in any other province, totaling 150,000 miles (241,400 kilometers). Its capital is Regina, home to Canada's only training academy for Royal Canadian Mounted Police recruits. Near Regina is North America's oldest bird sanctuary, established in 1887 at Last Mountain Lake.

Half of the province is covered by forest; one-third is farmland; and one-eighth is fresh water, with nearly 100,000 lakes. So if you enjoy such outdoor activities as hunting and fishing, Saskatchewan has a lot to offer. Also note that the city of Estevan in southeastern Saskatchewan is Canada's sunshine capital, averaging 106 sunshine-filled days each year. These sunny days make it easy to enjoy the close to 5 million acres (more than 2 million hectares) of parkland, including two national and 26 provincial parks. These parks contain a wide range of outdoor activities and attractions.

Today, farming and ranching continue to be big businesses here, although they are not as essential as they were in the past. However, Saskatchewan still produces more than 54 percent of the wheat grown in Canada. Oil and mineral exploration, construction, manufacturing, high-technology industries, service-oriented businesses, and tourism also boost the region's economic profile.