[2] Saskatchewan can be divided into three regions: grassland (part of the Great Plains) in the south, aspen parkland in the centre, and forest in the north.

Its western border runs concurrent with the 4th meridian or the 110°W longitude, separating Saskatchewan from the province of Alberta.

The earliest trading posts were made by the French; however, the first permanent settlement was established at Cumberland House in 1774 by the HBC.

The majority of the Indigenous inhabitants in the North-West Territories made treaties with the British Crown (via Canadian government representatives) in the 1870s and were settled on Indian reserves.

[citation needed] Additional native peoples and Métis, led by Louis Riel, rebelled between 1884 and 1885 in the North-West Rebellion and were suppressed.

The arrival of settlements and the rail lines also brought agricultural economies and development in the Central Lowlands Area.

In the beginning of the 20th century, Saskatchewan farmers created cooperative organizations to maintain grain marketization.

[12] Plough winds, Supercell hail or high precipitation rain storms, and tornadoes are eventful summer occurrences.

[11] Compared to average values from all thirteen Canadian provinces and territories,[12] Saskatchewan is the sunniest province or territory year round (2206 hours per year), has the second-lowest annual snowfall (145 centimetres (57 in)), the fourth-lowest total precipitation (428 millimetres (16.9 in)) and the second-hottest summer (22.5 °C (72.5 °F)).

There is evidence of reduction of biomass in Saskatchewan's boreal forests[15] (as with those of other Canadian prairie provinces) is linked by researchers to drought-related water stress, stemming from global warming, most likely caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

While studies, as early as 1988 (Williams, et al., 1988) have shown climate change will affect agriculture,[16] whether the effects can be mitigated through adaptations of cultivars, or crops, is less clear.

Biogeographic factors have also been divided into ecoregions and floristic kingdoms across Saskatchewan, and natural vegetation varies depending on elevation, moisture, soil and weather.

From the multiplicity of invertebrates and vertebrates two have been chosen as symbols of Saskatchewan, the white-tailed deer and the sharp-tailed grouse.

[30] Cenozoic vertebrate fossils reveal the geological evolution of the Interior Plains and its prehistoric biogeography.

[25] With a large land and water area, and small population density, the ecoregions of Saskatchewan provide important habitat for many animals, both endangered and not.

[38] The deepest water point 220 metres (720 ft) is located in Reindeer Lake at the Deep Bay Structure site which was created by a meteor impact.

[44][45] Saskatchewan has 36 provincial parks that provide for recreational use or preserve wilderness, special environments, or sites of historic importance.

Grasslands National Park, which covers 907 square kilometres (350 sq mi) in southernmost part of the province, was established in 1981.

[47] The other is Prince Albert National Park covering 3,874 square kilometres (1,496 sq mi) in central Saskatchewan, which was established in 1927.

Various grains, livestock, oil and gas, potash, uranium, wood and their spin off industries fuel the economy.