ASSINIBOIA, as-sin't-boi'a (Ojibwa, asinni, stone + /nu', the Dakota). A district in Canada, formed in 1882 out of the Northwest Territories, containing 90,340 square miles (Map: North west Territories, G 4). It is bounded on the north by Saskatchewan, on the east by Manitoba, on flue smith by the United States (Montana and North Dakota), and on the west by Alberta. The eastern third of the district belongs to the second Or Middle plateau (see Nourn WEST TERRITORIES ) , and has an average elevation of about 1600 feet. The remainder of the district to the west belongs to the third or west plateau, with an average elevation approaching. 3000 feet. There are some stretches of level plain, but much of the surface is broken. some of the hill groups being e•y prominent. The northern and eastern por tions of the district are drained by the Sas katchewan and Qn'Appelle rivers; the south western portion is drained by the tributaries of the Missouri. The precipitation is light, and the temperature is subject to great extremes of heat and cold. The severity of the winters is often
moderated by the warm Chinooks from the west.
The greater portion of the district consists of prairies. The eastern plateau is best adapted to agriculture, there being a great deal of very excellent wheat land, and mixed thrilling is prac ticable. In this section the agricultural indus try has developed considerably in very recent years. On the mestern plateau there is a greater variety of soils, and it is nut so well adapted to cultivation, hut is excellent for grazing purposes. Lignite is found in a large portion of the dis trict, and is mined in the sonti,,ast corner. The Canadian Pacific Railroad runs cast and west through the central portion of the district, and a branch line runs north into Saskatchewan, and another feeder approaches it from the southeast. Regina is the capital of the district, and also of the Northwest Territories. For further details see NORTHWEST TERRITORIES.