 Orca Breaching
Tourism Victoria photo Set between the Pacific Ocean in the west and the magnificent Rocky Mountains in the east, British Columbia is Canada's westernmost province. Blessed with breathtaking landscapes, BC is home to a geographical diversity that lends itself to a vast array of activities and adventures. There are mountains to climb, rivers to run, beaches to comb, forests to hike, parks to stroll and warm summer lakes to laze about on.
The province generally enjoys a temperate climate but where there are mountains, there is snow. Renowned for the steep and the deep of its world-class ski terrain, BC is bustling with energy and opportunity as it prepares for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Always a gold medal destination for savvy travellers, BC offers not just outdoor adventure but cosmopolitan culture, world class exhibitions, uptown shopping and fabulous dining. From sophisticated cities to breathtaking scenery, there is something for everyone in BC.
Start planning your perfect vacation by exploring the regions:
Northern British Columbia
Cariboo Chilcotin Coast
Vancouver Island (Victoria & the Gulf Islands
Vancouver, Coast & Mountains
Thompson Okanagan
Kootenay Rockies
Each region has its own intriguing differences and unique attributes, as do our three major cities:
Vancouver
Victoria
Whistler
Interested in learning more about BC before you visit? What to wear? What to expect? Where to go? We've put together lots of information to help you get the most out of your vacation to our province. And it's yours to explore - welcome to Canada's west coast!
BC Fast Facts
- Capital city: Victoria on Vancouver Island
- Population: 3,907,738 (Concentrated in: Vancouver pop. 2 million and Victoria pop. 326,000)
- Canada's third most populated province (after Ontario and Quebec
- Only province in Canada to experience a "West Coast special": ski and golf in the same day
- Westernmost of Canada's 10 provinces
- History: Entered Canadian confederation in 1871
- Total Area: 944,735 sq km (364,764 sq mi)
- Highest Point: Fairweather Mountain, 4,663 m (15,299 ft)
- Lowest Point: Pacific Ocean, sea level
- Longest River: Fraser River, 1,368 km (850 mi)
- Largest Lake: Williston Lake (reservoir), 1,761 sq km (680 sq mi)
- Largest Island: Vancouver Island, 32,137 sq km (12,408 sq mi)
- Provincial Flower: Pacific dogwood.
- Provincial Tree: Western redcedar.
- Provincial Bird: Steller's Jay
- Provincial Gemstone: Jade
- Provincial Motto: "Splendour without diminishment"
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