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- Vancouver. British Columbia’s largest city is best known for its stunning scenery, multiculturalism, and amazing food scene. 🏠 Population: 662,248 | 📍 Google Maps | City of Vancouver Website | 👉 Browse Hotels in Vancouver on Booking.
- Victoria. British Columbia’s gorgeous capital city is packed with history and British charm. 🏠 Population: 398,000 | 📍 Google Maps | City of Victoria Website | 👉 Browse Hotels in Victoria on Booking.
- Kelowna. An abundance of orchards and wineries make this the tastiest city in the province. 🏠 Population: 156,784 | 📍 Google Maps | City of Kelowna Website | 👉 Browse Hotels in Kelowna on Booking.
- Squamish. This growing city is a paradise for hikers, cyclists, and mountain climbers. 🏠 Population: 23,360 | 📍 Google Maps | District of Squamish Website | 👉 Browse Hotels in con Booking.
Mar 17, 2023 · Map of British Columbia showing major cities, terrain, national parks, rivers, and surrounding countries with international borders and outline maps. Key facts about British Columbia.
- Overview
- Relief
- Drainage
- Soils
British Columbia, westernmost of Canada’s 10 provinces. It is bounded to the north by Yukon and the Northwest Territories, to the east by the province of Alberta, to the south by the U.S. states of Montana, Idaho, and Washington, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean and the southern panhandle region of the U.S. state of Alaska. It stretches some 730 miles (1,180 km) from north to south and 640 miles (1,030 km) from east to west at its widest point. The land has a diversity of climate and scenery unparalleled in Canada, from the island-studded and fjord-indented coast to the great peaks of the western continental cordilleras, with their large interior plateaus.
One of the last regions of the North American continent to be explored and settled, British Columbia emerged in the second half of the 20th century as one of the leading provinces of Canada in population, economic wealth, and overall growth. Its main cities include Vancouver, one of the largest ports of Canada and of western North America, and Victoria, the provincial capital, located on the southeastern tip of Vancouver Island. Area 364,764 square miles (944,735 square km). Pop. (2021) 5,000,879.
The vast territory of British Columbia lies almost entirely within the great mountain system, or cordillera, that stretches along the western edge of the Americas from north of the Arctic Circle to Cape Horn, at the southernmost extremity of South America. These mountains divide the province in ranges aligned in a northwest-southeast direction, cre...
The province contains three main river systems: the Peace in the north; the Fraser, which drains nearly all of the interior plateau; and the Columbia in the southeastern and south-central regions. Lesser rivers, such as the Skeena, Nass, Iskut, and Stikine, drain the northwestern region into the Pacific, while the Liard system drains the northeastern section into the Arctic Ocean.
The Fraser, the only major river that lies entirely within the province, rises in the Rockies near the Yellowhead Pass, flows north and then southwestward to Prince George, where it turns almost due south for 300 miles (480 km), flowing to Hope, and then westward through the lush farmlands to the sea south of Vancouver. The Columbia follows the Rocky Mountain Trench northward, bends around the northern end of the Selkirk Mountains, and turns south to flow into the Arrow Lakes and then into the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon. The Peace also becomes a formidable stream within the Rocky Mountain Trench, but it cuts eastward through the Rockies and into the plains area of Alberta.
Most of the thousands of lakes are small, but they are important for the water they store in an age when hydroelectric power has become a prized resource. The larger lakes are made long and narrow by the north-south mountain ranges that confine them in the deep and narrow valleys in all parts of the province. Atlin and Teslin in the northwest extend into Yukon. Babine, Stuart, Shuswap, Quesnel, and François, which range from 90 to 200 square miles (230 to 520 square km) in area, are important salmon-spawning lakes. The Arrow and Kootenay lakes are important as storage reservoirs for hydroelectric plants.
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About two-thirds of the land area is forested, while only a small portion has soil suitable for agriculture. The most valuable soils of British Columbia are the alluvial soils that developed on sand and silt deposited by streams and rivers. These extremely fertile soils, located mainly in the lower Fraser valley, are of limited extent. Distinctive ...
Vancouver (/ v æ n ˈ k uː v ər / ⓘ van-KOO-vər) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016.
- Vancouver. Location: Southwest BC. Why you should visit: It’s the biggest city in BC, full of food, culture, and outdoors! Can’t miss activity: Go on a whale watching tour.
- Victoria. Location: Vancouver Island. Why you should visit: Lots of outdoor beauty, important history, and a starting point to a Vancouver Island road trip!
- Tofino. Location: Vancouver Island. Why you should visit: Amazing beaches and surf, cute small-town atmosphere. Can’t miss activity: Learn how to surf at Cox Beach.
- Pacific Rim National Park. Location: Vancouver Island. Why you should visit: See the untouched Pacific Northwest wilderness and long stretches of beach!
4 days ago · Vancouver, city, southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It is the major urban centre of western Canada and the focus of one of the country’s most populous metropolitan regions. Vancouver lies between Burrard Inlet (an arm of the Strait of Georgia) to the north and the Fraser River delta to the south, opposite Vancouver Island.
Jun 1, 2020 · Vancouver is a world-famous city and for good reason: It’s beautifully situated right between mountains and oceans while enjoying some of Canada’s mildest weather.
