Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the second most populous provincial capital in the country after Toronto. The city has a low population density because of its size, but is known as the northernmost North American city that has a population of more than 1 million. The city covers a land area that is larger than that of Toronto, Montreal, Philadelphia, and Chicago. The city's residents are referred to as Edmontonian. Popular nicknames for the city include the 'City of Champions', 'Gateway to the North', 'E-Town, the Festival City', and 'River City'. It is also known as Canada's Oil Capita or simply 'Oil City'.

The city is the major economic center of Alberta and holds a majority of the oil and gas industries in the country. The gas, oil, and oil sands reserves of Edmonton are said to be the second largest in the world after Saudi Arabia.

Edmonton has also a strong ICT (information and communications technology) sector with major employers such as IBM, Intuit Canada, and Telus. The Canadian Western Bank is also a prominent establishment in the city. Edmonton's educational and healthcare sectors are one of the best in the country.