Saskatchewan is part of the Western Provinces and is bounded on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the American states of Montana and North Dakota. Saskatchewan has the distinction of being the only Canadian province for which no borders correspond to physical geographic features. The majority of Saskatchewan's population is located in the southern third of the province, south of the 53rd parallel.
Saskatchewan's economy is associated with agriculture; however, increasing diversification has meant that now agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting together make up only 6.8% of the province's GDP. Saskatchewan grows 45% of Canada's grain. Wheat is the most familiar crop and the one most often associated with the province, but other grains like canola, flax, rye, oats, peas, lentils, canary seed, and barley are also produced. Beef cattle production in the province is only exceeded by Alberta. Mining is also a major industry in the province, with Saskatchewan being the world's largest exporter of potash and uranium. In the northern part of the province, forestry is also a significant industry.
Oil and natural gas production is also a very important part of Saskatchewan's economy, although the oil industry is larger. Only Alberta exceeds the province in overall oil production. Heavy crude is extracted in the Lloydminster-Kerrobert-Kindersley areas. Light crude is found in the Kindersley-Swift Current areas as well as the Weyburn-Estevan fields. Natural gas is found almost entirely in the western part of Saskatchewan, from the Primrose Lake area through Lloydminster, Unity, Kindersley, Leader, and around Maple Creek areas.
Education in Saskatchewan teaches a curriculum of learning set out by the Government of Saskatchewan through the Ministry of Education. Education in Saskatchewan is generally divided by Elementary (Primary School, public school), followed by Secondary (High School) and Post Secondary (University, College). Within the province under the Ministry of Education, there are district school boards administering the educational programs. Post-secondary Education could be a trade or technical training which could be obtained via a vocational school or University degree programs. Certificate Diploma and Associate Degrees, which take 1–2 years to complete and consist primarily of coursework. There are several various institutions of higher learning across the province.