Page "Economy of Alberta" Paragraph 4

Alberta has a small internal market and is relatively distant from major world markets, despite good transportation links to the rest of Canada and to the United States to the south.

Alberta is located in the northwestern quadrant of North America, in a region of low population density called the Interior Plains ( and referred to by one author as North America's " Empty Quarter ").

Alberta is landlocked, and separated by a series of mountain ranges from the nearest outlets to the Pacific Ocean, and by the Canadian Shield from ports on the Lakehead or Hudson Bay.

From these ports to major populations centres and markets in Europe or Asia is several thousands of kilometers.

The largest population clusters of North America ( the Boston – Washington, San Francisco-San Diego, Chicago – Pittsburgh, and Quebec City – Windsor Corridors ) are all thousands of kilometers away from Alberta.

Partly for this reason, Alberta has never developed a large presence in the industries that have traditionally started industrialization in other places ( notably the original Industrial Revolution in Great Britain ) but which require large labour forces, and large internal markets or easy transportation to export markets, namely textiles, metallurgy, or transportation-related manufacturing ( automotives, ships, or train cars ).