50 Facts About British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains.

The Colony of British Columbia was founded by Richard Clement Moody, and by the Royal Engineers, Columbia Detachment, in response to the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush.

The colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia were incorporated in 1866, subsequent to which Victoria became the united colony's capital.

In 1871, British Columbia entered Confederation as the sixth province of Canada, in enactment of the British Columbia Terms of Union.

British Columbia is a diverse and cosmopolitan province, drawing on a plethora of cultural influences from its British, European, and Asian diasporas, as well as the Indigenous population.

Related searches

British Columbia is home to at least 34 distinct Indigenous languages.

Major sectors of British Columbia's economy include forestry, mining, filmmaking and video production, tourism, real estate, construction, wholesale, and retail.

British Columbia exhibits high property values and is a significant centre for maritime trade: the Port of Vancouver is the largest port in Canada and the most diversified port in North America.

Ultimately, the Columbia in the name British Columbia is derived from the name of the Columbia Rediviva, an American ship which lent its name to the Columbia River and later the wider region; the Columbia in the name Columbia Rediviva came from the name Columbia for the New World or parts thereof, a reference to Christopher Columbus.

British Columbia is bordered to the west by the Pacific Ocean and the American state of Alaska, to the north by Yukon and the Northwest Territories, to the east by the province of Alberta, and to the south by the American states of Washington, Idaho, and Montana.

The southern border of British Columbia was established by the 1846 Oregon Treaty, although its history is tied with lands as far south as California.

British Columbia's capital is Victoria, located at the southeastern tip of Vancouver Island.

Coast Mountains and the Inside Passage's many inlets provide some of British Columbia's renowned and spectacular scenery, which forms the backdrop and context for a growing outdoor adventure and ecotourism industry.

British Columbia is considered part of the Pacific Northwest and the Cascadia bioregion, along with the American states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and California.

Coastal southern British Columbia has a mild, rainy oceanic climate, influenced by the North Pacific Current, which has its origins in the Kuroshio Current.

The coldest temperature in British Columbia was recorded in Smith River, where it dropped to -58.

British Columbia contains seven of Canada's national parks and National Park Reserves:.

British Columbia contains a large number of provincial parks, run by BC Parks under the aegis of the Ministry of Environment.

Some endangered species in British Columbia are: Vancouver Island marmot, spotted owl, American white pelican, and badgers.

The Interior of British Columbia was home to the Salishan language groups such as the Shuswap, Okanagan and Athabaskan language groups, primarily the Dakelh and the Tsilhqot'in.

The inlets and valleys of the British Columbia coast sheltered large, distinctive populations, such as the Haida, Kwakwaka'wakw and Nuu-chah-nulth, sustained by the region's abundant salmon and shellfish.

Lands now known as British Columbia were added to the British Empire during the 19th century.

In British Columbia, Moody "wanted to build a city of beauty in the wilderness" and planned his city as an iconic visual metaphor for British dominance, "styled and located with the objective of reinforcing the authority of the crown and of the robe".

British Columbia selected the site and founded the new capital, New Westminster.

British Columbia selected the site due to the strategic excellence of its position and the quality of its port.

Related searches

British Columbia was struck by the majestic beauty of the site, writing in his letter to Blackwood,.

British Columbia named Burnaby Lake after his private secretary Robert Burnaby and named Port Coquitlam's 400-foot "Mary Hill" after his wife.

Population in British Columbia continued to expand as the province's mining, forestry, agriculture, and fishing sectors were developed.

British Columbia has long taken advantage of its location on the Pacific Ocean to have close relations with East Asia and South Asia.

British Columbia's retirement being announced, a Social Credit convention was scheduled for the Whistler Resort, which came down to a three-way shooting match between Bud Smith, the Premier's right-hand man but an unelected official, Social Credit party grande dame Grace McCarthy, and the charismatic but eccentric Bill Vander Zalm.

British Columbia was succeeded on an interim basis by Dan Miller who was in turn followed by Ujjal Dosanjh following a leadership convention.

British Columbia resigned in November 2010 and called on the party to elect a new leader.

British Columbia was significantly affected by demographic changes within Canada and around the world.

British Columbia has been a significant destination for internal Canadian migrants.

British Columbia has moved from approximately 10 percent of Canada's population in 1971 to approximately 13 percent in 2006.

British Columbia is the most diverse province in Canada; as of 2016, the province had the highest proportion of visible minorities in the country.

British Columbia has a history of being a resource dominated economy, centred on the forestry industry but with fluctuating importance in mining.

Economic history of British Columbia is replete with tales of dramatic upswings and downswings, and this boom and bust pattern has influenced the politics, culture and business climate of the province.

British Columbia's economy experienced strong growth in recent years with a total growth rate of 9.

British Columbia is divided into regional districts as a means to better enable municipalities and rural areas to work together at a regional level.

British Columbia has an 87-member elected Legislative Assembly, elected by the plurality voting system, though from 2003 to 2009 there was significant debate about switching to a single transferable vote system called BC-STV.

British Columbia is known for having politically active labour unions who have traditionally supported the NDP or its predecessor, the CCF.

British Columbia is underrepresented in the Senate of Canada, leading Premier Christy Clark to refuse to cooperate with the federal government's reforms for senate appointments to be made based on the recommendations of a new advisory board that would use non-partisan criteria.

British Columbia tested a fleet of Hydrogen-fuelled buses for the Vancouver-Whistler Winter Olympics in 2010.

British Columbia has strong participation levels in many other sports, including golf, tennis, soccer, hockey, Canadian football, rugby union, lacrosse, baseball, softball, basketball, curling, disc golf, Ultimate and figure skating.

Related searches

British Columbia has produced many outstanding athletes, especially in aquatic and winter sports.

British Columbia is home to a comprehensive education system consisting of public schools and independent schools that is overseen by the provincial Ministry of Education.

Academic achievement in British Columbia is relatively good, although it has been slipping in recent years by some measures.

British Columbia has diverse array of higher educational institutions, ranging from publicly funded universities, colleges, and institutes, to private universities, colleges, seminaries, and career institutes.

British Columbia is home to 11 private colleges and universities located throughout the province, including:.