Alta is the location of rock drawings dating from circa 4200 BC to 500 BC, that are on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
Alta is a communication senter in Finnmark. Main activities are trading, small industry, education and public service. The town is also famous for its slate industry. Finnmark College (Høgskolen i Finnmark) is situated in Alta, and there is also a researarch intstitution (Norut NIBR Finnmark).
The Municipality of Alta (Alta kommune) has a good and informative home page.