BRITISH COLUMBIA
British Columbia is known for its stunning natural setting, vast tracts of untouched wilderness, and safe, vibrant cities like Vancouver and Victoria. It's a top choice for outdoor adventure, urban pleasures, and pure escape.
Some 75% of the province is mountainous, 60% is forested, and only about 5% is arable. A series of southeast-northwest running mountain ranges, from the Rockies in the east to the Coast Mountain and Vancouver Island ranges in the west, serrate the landscape into a series of peaks, plateaux and valleys.
British Columbia's rugged coastline stretches for more than 27,000 kilometers (16,780 miles), including deep, mountainous fjords and about 6,000 islands, most of which are uninhabited. The largest island, at 451 kilometers (280 miles) long, is Vancouver Island. Home to Victoria, the provincial capital, it lies off the southwest corner of BC's mainland.
Most of BC's population of about four million clusters in the province's southwest corner, in and around the cities of Vancouver and Victoria. The Okanagan Valley is the most populated inland region.
Coastal British Columbia, including Vancouver and Victoria, enjoys the mildest climate in Canada. Summers are warm but not hot; winters are mild and wet, with little snow at sea level. Central and Northern BC have a more traditionally Canadian climate, with hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters.
There are as many reasons to visit BC as there are visitors, but here's a taste:
Wilderness: 11.35 million hectares (28,046,460 acres), 11.8 per cent of the province, is protected in parks, conservancies, ecological reserves, and recreation areas.
Wildlife: BC is home to more fauna than any other part of Canada. In all, 142 animal, 488 bird, 18 reptile, 22 amphibian, 83 freshwater fish, and 368 saltwater fish species live in or travel through the province.
Sports and Adventure: BC has almost 200 golf courses , more than 30 full-service downhill ski resorts (including Whistler, a venue city of the 2010 Olympic & ParlalympicWinter Games), and more than 3,500 km (2,174 miles) of hiking trails.
BC's 37 river systems, more than 2,200 lakes, 27,000 km (16,780 miles) of coastline, and 18,000 square km (6,949 square miles) of inland waters welcome boaters, fishers, river rafters, beachcombers, and scuba divers.
BC has facilities for, among other things, bungy jumping, caving, gold panning, hang gliding, hot air ballooning, mountaineering, river rafting, rock climbing, surfing, whale watching, and windsurfing.
Food & Drink: From caribou to chanterelles, cedar plank salmon to micro-brewed ale, the local fare is rich and varied; the restaurants cosmopolitan and affordable. BC is wine country too: about 90 wineries concentrated in two regions welcome visitors -- and win awards.
Aboriginal Culture: First Nations are represented by more than 30 Nations and 197 communities in BC. Throughout the province, museums and archaeological sites display ancient treasures; cultural sites and galleries illuminate modern day art and culture.
Some say British Columbia’s biggest city, Vancouver, was founded on a pub. In 1867, the same year Canada became a country, a retired riverboat pilot named Gassy Jack built a saloon with the idea to make money selling whiskey to the loggers and millers in Burrard Inlet. Gastown has a historic clock powered by steam. Every quarter-hour it plays a short tune on its steam whistles, and every hour it gives a loud blast.
Stanley Park is the largest urban park in North America (1000 acres) and home to the Vancouver Aquarium and an exceptional collection of Totem Poles. The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) welcomes families and individuals interested in learning more about Northwest Coast First Nations cultures.
Among Vancouver’s top attractions are Granville Island, Grouse Mountain, Capilano Suspension Bridge, Chinatown, Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Gardens, Science World, Robson Street, Harbour cruises, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver Maritime Museum and Vancouver Museum
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In Victoria, located at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, visitors relax in true British style with afternoon tea, offered in dozens of tearooms throughout the city. One of the best known locations is the Tea Lobby in The Fairmont Empress Hotel.
Several splendid 19th century buildings are open to the public, including the 39-room Craigdarroch Castle, built in 1887 by Robert Dunsmuir, a BC coal baron.
The Maritime Museum, originally the Provincial Court House, is a highlight of Bastion Square and depicts the story of BC's maritime history from early explorers to the present. The Royal British Columbia Museum chronicles the province's social and natural history. In Thunderbird Park, beside the museum, ancient Native totem poles stand tall. Fan Tan Alley, the narrowest street in North America, leads into Canada's oldest Chinatown, established in 1858.
Clean, green and safe, Victoria is museums and art galleries, parks and gardens, nightclubs and afternoon tea, recreation and relaxation. One of the most famous gardens in the world, the Butchart Gardens, is located just 30 minutes from Victoria’s city centre.
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