Saskatchewan ( (listen) sə-SKATCH-ə-wən; Canadian French: [saskatʃəwan]) is a prairie and boreal province in Western Canada, the middle of the three prairie provinces. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota. Saskatchewan, along with Alberta make up the only landlocked provinces of Canada. As of Q1 2020, Saskatchewan's population was estimated at 1,181,987. Nearly 10% of Saskatchewan’s total area of 651,900 square kilometres (251,700 sq mi) is fresh water, which is composed mostly of rivers, reservoirs, and the province's 100,000 lakes. Moderating bodies of water render severe winters throughout the province, as a result of Saskatchewan's continental climate. Southern areas have very warm or hot summers. In winter, temperatures below −45 °C (−49 °F) are possible even in the south during extreme cold snaps.
Residents primarily live in the southern prairie half of the province, while the northern boreal half is mostly forested and sparsely populated. Of the total population, roughly half live in the province's largest city Saskatoon or the provincial capital Regina. Other notable cities include Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, Yorkton, Swift Current, North Battleford, Melfort, and the border city Lloydminster (partially within Alberta). English is the primary language of the province, with 82.4% of Saskatchewanians speaking English as their first language.Saskatchewan has been inhabited for thousands of years by various indigenous groups. Europeans first explored the area in 1690 and first settled in the area in 1774. It became a province in 1905, carved out from the vast North-West Territories, which had until then included most of the Canadian Prairies. In the early 20th century the province became known as a stronghold for Canadian social democracy; North America's first social-democratic government was elected in 1944. The province's economy is based on agriculture, mining, and energy.
The current Lieutenant Governor is Russell Mirasty. The current premier is Scott Moe.
In 1992, the federal and provincial governments signed a historic land claim agreement with First Nations in Saskatchewan. The First Nations received compensation and were permitted to buy land on the open market for the bands; they have acquired about 3,079 square kilometres (761,000 acres; 1,189 sq mi), now reserve lands. Some First Nations have used their settlement to invest in urban areas, including Regina and Saskatoon.