A fantastic combination of a rocky ocean coastline, flowering vineyard valleys, centuries-old forests, clear lakes, rivers, mighty mountains and roaring waterfalls… This is the western outskirts of Canada, a protected corner of the untouched, pristine world - the province of British Columbia.
History
Indigenous people lived in the county long before the colonization of North America, more than 11,500 years ago.
The exploration of these lands by Europeans began with the expedition of James Cook in 1778, and in 1792 it was continued by his follower George Vancouver, after whom the largest island of the district and the largest metropolis of the dominion was named. From this period on these territories, called New Caledonia, a British protectorate was established, which did not have any formal organization. Administrative functions were performed by divisions of the Hudson's Bay Company, which had a monopoly in the fur trade in the region.
Over time, there was a division of land: several states of the southern margin of the Columbia River basin joined the United States, while the British part of the territory under this name, assigneddistrict by Queen Victoria herself, in 1871 became part of the Canadian Confederation. The dominion experienced a real boom during the period of the "gold rush", the construction of a transnational railway and the subsequent mass migration to these lands during the years of revolutions and wars of the Asian and European population. Since then, the region has been steadily growing and developing. In terms of population, it ranks third in the country.
Cities of British Columbia
The largest city in the province and second on the west coast is Vancouver. It is a conglomerate with 20 suburbs and a total of 2.3 million people. Rapid growth began with the construction of a transnational railroad from the center of the country to Vancouver and the development of a port. Repeatedly the metropolis became the "Best city in the world". Built at the mouth of the river Fraser on opposite shores of Barrard Bay. Therefore, many bridges connect the city into a single whole. Mountain ranges surround it from all sides. In 2010, Vancouver hosted the Winter Olympics, so you can be sure of the quality of the city's ski resorts. The difference from the colonial capital of British Columbia - Victoria, is in the multinationality and multiculturalism of Vancouver, where, in addition to immigrants from England, there are large Chinese and Japanese diasporas. In addition, it is a major center of scientific and research work. It is home to Simon Fraser University, considered Canada's top university, and the University of British Columbia, one of the top thirty in the world.
The county's capital is Victoria, located insouthern part of Vancouver Island and is the second largest metropolitan area in the province. The city itself is small - 80,000 people, but includes another 12 municipalities in the neighborhood, and in general its population is 345 thousand inhabitants. It is considered the "most British" in spirit in Canada, as the majority of its inhabitants are British retirees. British traditions are everywhere here: in double-decker buses, typical London shops, pubs and cafes with the obligatory five-hour tea party.
About 60% of the county's population lives in these two cities, more than one hundred thousand people live in the cities of Kelon and Abbotsford.
University of British Columbia Vancouver
It has about 57,000 students from both Canada and 149 countries. It has one of the best scientific, laboratory and research bases. In addition, the university has its own anthropological museum, teaching clinics, an arts center and a concert hall. A special pride is the library, the fund of which is considered the second in Canada. More than 9,000 teachers work at the university, there are even Nobel laureates. It is considered one of the fastest growing universities in the world with excellent academic performance.
Edge of vertex set
The largest mountain system (Rocky Mountains) of British Columbia is located in the center of the entire region and stretches along from north to south. Most of the mountain area is occupied by national forests and parks. Hiking, snowboarding, skiing, fishing and hunting and of coursemountaineering - all this will make the Rocky Mountains a true paradise for lovers of fresh air and extreme sports.
The highest peak (4671 m above sea level) in the province is located in the northwestern part of the region - the mountains of St. Elias, and it is called Fairweather. This coastal peak rises 20 km from the Pacific Ocean and is perfectly visible from the sea on a clear day. For which it was named by James Cook himself in 1778 Fairweather Mountain - Mountain of good weather.
The Coastal and Pacific Ranges separate the coast from the mainland. They also radically share the nature of these areas. Many mountain systems of a smaller scale, uplands and plateaus cover the entire territory of British Columbia, creating in their gorges and valleys a whole network of full-flowing mountain rivers and lakes.
Life-giving springs
31 lakes and 32 rivers contain on its territory British Columbia - a fabulous land of water elements. Salmon and trout are found in almost all rivers and lakes. The main hydro artery of the province is the Fraser. This full-flowing river begins in the Rocky Mountains and, flowing through the plateau and canyon of the same name, absorbs many tributaries, simultaneously increasing the slopes of the banks to a height of 100 m and greatly accelerating. It flows into the Pacific Ocean, where the largest city of the district and the largest port of the west coast of North America, Vancouver, is built in the delta.
In the Rocky Mountains in the Valley of a Thousand Peaks is the source of a mountain river calledColombia. 40% of it flows through Canada. The most powerful current and the large slope of the river have their own specifics:
- The Columbia Basin has been constantly flooded and flooded.
- Several dams and dams have been built on the river to protect against these natural disasters.
- "Steep temper" rivers are used in hydropower.
- This is a major shipping channel.
Near the Pacific Ocean
In the west, the province ends on the sea coast and closer to the north borders on the US state of Alaska. The entire seaside area is indented with convenient bays and fjords, stretching tens of kilometers inland. Thousands of islands are scattered here. The largest of these are Vancouver and Graham of the Queen Charlotte Islands. Many tourists gather to admire one of the most amazing places in the world - the Coast Ranges of the coast of British Columbia. Photos of the most picturesque corners of the riviera are amazing.
The weather in coastal areas is influenced by the warm Kuroshio current, making it mild and rainy. In a favorable climate, lush taiga forests grow and cover the coast.
County Mainland
The province borders the Canadian counties (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Alberta) to the north and east, and the United States to the south.
Mountain range Coast ranges blocks the flow from the coast to the mainland of moist air masses from the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, further from the sea in the central part of the district are arid plateaus and deserts.
Nice, softand a warm climate developed in the Fraser and Okanagan valleys, where fine Canadian wine and cider are produced.
The northern part of British Columbia is dominated by cold and sparsely populated mountain areas. And only in the northeastern part, descending lower into the valley, the prairies delight the eye.
Miraculous Pearl of Canada
An invaluable feature of the province is that 95% of its land is natural landscapes, and only 5% is arable land. Three-quarters of the region is occupied by mountains and highlands over 1000 meters, and 60% is forests. The pristine and unique nature with natural habitats of rare animals, birds and fish has been preserved here. That is why an eighth of the entire territory occupied by British Columbia is nature reserves and protected natural areas. Among them are 14 national parks (including Yoho, Mount Revelstoke, Glacier, Kootenay and others) and about 430 more provincial and regional.
Here you will find unique places and landscapes:
- Sand deserts.
- Steep canyons.
- Misty waterfalls.
- Severe volcanoes.
- Healing hot springs.
- Fabulous caves.
- Glittering glaciers.
- Stunning rivers and lakes.
- The incredible northern and vibrant southern islands.
- Picturesque bays and coves.
Special Places
Fans of an unusual holiday and vivid impressions in the British Columbia province can visit:
- Bear Ranch.
- Salmon Museum.
- Indigenous reservations.
- Botanical Garden, Glendale, Butterfly and Exotic Animal Garden in Victoria.
- Birds of Prey Park.
- Cathedral grove of ancient pseudo-hemlock (up to 800 years old, up to 75 m high with a trunk up to 9 m in diameter).
- Diving, ski resorts, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, etc.
- In March, flocks of whales can be seen off the coast of Vancouver Island.
- You can visit a caribou (reindeer) farm.
- Helicopter and ferry trips.
- Old Railways.
- Traveling from the Gold Rush.
- The ghost town of Three Valley Gap.
- Powerful dams and lighthouses.
- Historical reserves.
So if you ever want to see almost everything nature is rich in and feel the flavor of North America, visit such a wonderful place as British Columbia (Canada).
