Granary of Canada, this prairie province grows a sizable portion of the nation's wheat and much of its oats, barley, flaxseed, and canola. Three centuries ago wealth was counted in the furs of animals.

Regina, Saskatchewan's capital, has Canada's only training academy for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Saskatoon, the province's largest city, is home to many high-tech firms, as well as the University of Saskatchewan.

The name "Saskatchewan" comes from the Cree word for "river that flows swiftly." Immigrants soon swamped the Indians and Métis—offspring of French fur traders and Indian women, who number about 44,000 today. Descendants of British pioneers exceed those of German, Polish, Scandinavian, French, Dutch, and Ukrainian settlers. Onion-domed Ukrainian churches dot the landscape.

The rocky expanse of the Canadian Shield to the north, covered by lakes and stunted conifers, contains gold and uranium deposits. The uranium mine at Key Lake is the world's largest, and potash mines in the south supply 35 percent of world demand. A large coal-fired power plant in the southeast uses advanced technology that ensures clean burning.