Explore a destination located in British Columbia, Canada
British Columbia is located on the western side of Canada. The Rocky Mountains take up a large portion of the southeastern side of the province and include Vancouver Island on the west coast. The vegetation in British Columbia is primarily dominated by coniferous forests, though there are plains and mountains within its limits as well.[6] Many woodland animals live in these places including bears, wolves, deer, moose, and more.[5] The capital of British Colombia is Victoria, which is found on the southern end of Vancouver Island, and the most populated city in the province is Vancouver.[2] There are a wide variety of cultures that have influenced the creation of British Columbia. The First Nations were various tribes that lived in the region before the European settlers, and there are still many places that uphold their culture.[8] The 2010 Winter Olympics were held in the city of Vancouver, and Whistler was one of the mountains that hosted the downhill ski events.[1]
British Columbia is estimated to have over 5 million people living within its boundaries. There has been a steady increase of 5% - 7% to the population every five years, starting from 2001.[2] The province is found on the west coast and is also considered part of the Pacific Northwest. Two states of The United States of America are also part of the Pacific Northwest, namely Washington and Oregon. British Columbia is the westernmost province of the country and is flanked by the Pacific Ocean to the west and Alberta to the east. The Northwest Territories and Yukon are located to the north, the US state of Alaska is found to the northwest, and the US states of Montana, Idaho, and Washington meet British Columbia on its southern border.[12]
Before it was called British Columbia, it was broken into smaller parts. The southern part of the area was named after the Columbia River and was simply called "Columbia." The central area was called "New Caledonia" by an explorer who went by the name of Simon Fraser. There were already places with the same or similar names, such as Colombia in South America and an island in the Pacific Ocean called New Caledonia. So, when the British Columbia area became a colony in 1858, Queen Victoria called it British Columbia. The city of Victoria, the state capital, is also named after Queen Victoria.[11]
There is an abundance of mountains in British Columbia that offer winter sports on their slopes. Of these many mountains, Whistler Mountain is perhaps the most popular and well-known. Back in 2010, the Winter Olympic Games were held in Vancouver. Whistler's ski resort was able to host the downhill ski events while the games were taking place. For those that are unable to or don't want to ski or snowboard down the mountain, there are other activities available at Whistler Mountain. Peak 2 Peak Gondola is a gondola ride that takes riders between the Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. If there isn't enough snow on the ground for winter sports, visitors can find hiking trails, mountain biking trails, golfing, and more. Whistler Village is a town approximately two-hour drive from Vancouver and offers hotels, upscale shopping, and fine dining.[1]
Vancouver Island is another attraction that is located in British Columbia. On the western side of the province, one can find small towns, as well as the capital of the province, Victoria. The beaches of Vancouver Island offer surfing, which can be done year-round, and visitors can spend time at the town of Tofino and Pacific Rim National Park. Tofino is located at the edge of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. As a small tourist town, many visitors tend to find things to do in the surrounding area like camping near the oceanfront, hiking through the forests or along the beaches, and taking tours of the area, including whale watching.[1]
British Columbia has a mountainous region across most of the land within its borders, while a plateau rests in between the two mountain ranges in the east and west. The northeastern side of the province is more level and has more forested areas. In places like Vancouver, the summers tend to be short and comfortable with a few clouds, while the winters can be long, cold, and wet with much more cloud coverage. The temperatures tend to vary between 35 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit, about 1.6 to 22.7 degrees Celsius, throughout the year. For the city of Vancouver, it is rare that temperatures drop below 24 degrees Fahrenheit, -4.4 degrees Celsius, or go above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, about 26.6 degrees Celsius. The hottest month of the year is typically July and the coldest month of the year is usually December. According to Weather Spark, the best time for people to visit the area tends to be mid-July through late August.[3]
Much of the vegetation that grows naturally in the province is capable of withstanding the average temperatures in the summers and the frigid temperatures in the winter, which is especially true for the plants that grow in higher elevations. Coniferous forests are the most common type of biome in British Columbia and can be found at various elevations, both higher and lower. Western hemlock and western redcedar are most often found in the low and medium heights. Douglas-fir, western larch, and grand fir are several trees that grow primarily in the higher elevations. Trembling aspen are among the most common tree species in the deciduous forest. Aspen stands are the most common tree in the plateaus and are not usually seen at higher elevations. The lower elevations, such as in the grasslands, have many shrubs growing throughout the land. In the drier areas, big sagebrush and rabbit-brush are easier to find, and in the north, one can encounter dwarf evergreen shrubs and Labrador tea.[6]
Due to the elevation differences between the mountains and plateaus, there are a wide variety of animals that can be found. Commonly found in many areas, regardless of the elevation difference, are deer, elk, marmots, and groundhogs. However, there is a more considerable disparity between the kinds of animals that are found in certain areas. Moose are large, forest-dwelling animals that are most often found in the northern forests and at higher elevations. Bears are also more common in dense and more mountainous areas. Wolves, lynxes, and cougars tend to be where there are an immense amount of trees and a cooler climate. There are many animals that can be found on and off the province's west coast. Harbor seals can be found resting on beaches, rocks, and even glacier ice when they aren't hunting for food in the water. There are also a variety of whales that migrate through the waters off the coast of British Columbia. Gray Whales are known for approaching whale-watching boats out of curiosity. Humpback whales are another type of whale that can be seen from boats further out in the harbor. Dolphins, such as the northern right-whale dolphin and killer whales, inhabit the waters as well.[5]
The early civilizations consisted of Indian peoples that numbered about 80,000 living in what is now known as British Columbia. Some of the tribes and nations that lived in the area include Coast Salish, Nuu-chah-nulth, Tsimshian, and Haida. These peoples had established along the coast and in the plains of the area and learned how to utilize the products they hunted and gathered from both the sea and mountains. They were expert fishermen, using nets, hooks, and are known even to hunt whales. The clothing they wore was often made from the skins of animals in the area and kept themselves warm with blankets made from woven wool of mountain goats. The people that lived in the area often traded with their neighbors. Many of the things they exchanged included elk hides, furs, shells, candlefish oil, copper, and more.[4]
It wasn't until the late 18th century that European travelers first began exploring what is now British Columbia. One of the first recorded fleet of ships to visit the coast was from Spain in 1774. Not long after, a British explorer named James Cook came through on a personal quest to find the Northwest Passage. When it became more common knowledge that the Indians had an abundant amount of trade in furs, British and American traders began arriving to trade with them for one of the most prized pelts in the area: sea otter pelts. Later, Great Britain sent a navigator by the name of George Vancouver, who managed to circumnavigate and chart the whole coastline of what is now Vancouver Island.[4] He was also able to successfully create a trading relationship with the Nuu-chah-nulth tribe.[8]
Before European Settlers came to British Columbia, the First Nations lived in relative peace for hundreds of years. Long ago, the First Nations lived together in harmony. Then everything changed when the Europeans arrived. The fur-trading businesses were very successful, although they weren't the main reason people began arriving. In 1858, The Fraser Canyon gold rush occurred, and in 1862, the Cariboo gold rush started. It was when these gold rushes came into fruition that British Columbia saw a massive increase in the population. Many aspects of the history are depicted and can be seen at the Royal British Columbia Museum.[8]
There are a wide variety of successful businesses that are based in British Columbia. A majority of the companies are part of the natural resources industry, with the next most common type of business being in manufacturing and transportation. Telus Corp. is a corporation that is worth 16.5 billion dollars in revenue.[7] Telus has operated since 1906 and started out as a public company before being privatized in the 1990s. The company changed its name to Telus Corporation, or Telus Corp., in 1996. They primarily serve in the Telecommunication and Information Technology Industry. Over the years, there has been an expansion to cover health solutions, real estate, and financial solutions.[9] Another successful company that is headquartered in British Columbia is called Jim Pattison Group. The Jim Pattison Group has a diverse amount of influence in many different industries, including media, food sales and distribution, entertainment, magazine distribution, and more.[10] Based in Vancouver, the company has made about 12.7 billion dollars in revenue.[7]
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