British Columbia Facts

The capital of British Columbia, Canada, is Victoria. The province is a home to the Columbia River, which has its source in the southeastern region. The province is bordered by Alberta in the east, the Pacific Ocean on the west, Alaska and Yukon in the north and Washington, Montana and Idaho in the south. The province sprawls over a total area of 944,735 square kilometers, with a coastline for more than 27,000 kilometers. The natural beauty of the place is highlighted by the presence of mountainous fjords and islands.

The capital city of Victoria is on Vancouver Island. The mountains along the coastline have paved the way for a number of inlets. The province is among the 'most-visited' holiday destinations in the world. The scenery is spectacular and perfect for adventure sports. The ecotourism industry is thriving in British Columbia. British Columbia alone has seven of Canada's national parks: Glacier National Park, Kootenay National Park, Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, Mount Revelstoke National Park and Yoho National Park.

Research reveals the proof of human habitation in British Columbia 11,500 years ago. The explorations and colonizations in the 1770s established British rule over the coastal area along the Columbia River. Fur trade was a major attraction way back then. Trading posts soon transformed into settlements and communities and fueled the gold rush throughout the province. Population in British Columbia increased with expansion of mining, agriculture and fishing. British Columbia capitalizes on its proximity to the Pacific Ocean. The consequential close relations with East Asia has led to a high rate of inter-racial integration.

The provincial highway system and cultural centers have made it a hot spot for artists, musicians, academicians and creative thinkers. The BC Liberals, led by Gordon Campbell have egged the province on to a demographic shift. British Columbia has a Legislative Assembly with 79 members, and is currently governed by the British Columbia Liberal Party. The government has to address the requirements of a number of labor unions, something that is interwoven with the politics in the province. More than half of the population lives in the Greater Vancouver Regional District.

The second largest population concentration is within the southern tip of Vancouver Island. The population of 4,113,487 (2006) is mainly urbanized now. The popular religions followed by the people include Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism and a whole segment that confirms to either being agnostic, atheist or followers of Darwinism. The ethnic groups include original and diverse interspersed populations that are English, German. Irish, and Canadian among a host of others, from across the continents. The languages commonly spoken include English, Arabic, Gujarati, Czech, Romanian, Danish and Serbian.

British Columbia is known for a rugged topography. There are a number of freeways, public transits, trolleybuses, passenger train services,state ferries, cruise ships and domestic airliners that ensure convenient transportation of people and goods across British Columbia. The wild life reserves are a home to the grizzly and Kermode bears, deer, elk, caribou, wolverines, mountain lions and Pacific White-Sided Dolphin, among a myriad of other species. The mountainous terrain and coasts make British Columbia ideal for hiking, rock climbing, camping, mountaineering and water sports. The mountain trails are explored for biking, cross-country skiing, longboarding and trail riding.