British Columbia, on the Pacific Ocean, is known for its majestic mountains. There are three major mountain ranges in the province: the Rocky Mountains, the Columbia Mountains and the Coast Mountains.
The people
First Nations people lived in British Columbia for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. Their cultures and languages were influenced by the wide range of geography in British Columbia, from seashore to mountains. They developed a unique form of art, best known as totem poles. Their art is popular around the world. It often represents animals, including salmon, bears, whales, ravens and eagles.
British Columbia was settled by Europeans when the fur trade spread to the west in the early 1800s. In the late 1800s, thousands of Chinese came to British Columbia to help build the final section of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Many of their descendants still live in the province. Many people come to live in British Columbia from Asia. Today, about one-third of the population of the Lower British Columbia Mainland is of Chinese origin. The total population of British Columbia is about four million people.
The economy
British Columbia’s rich natural resources have always been important to the economy. The province has the most valuable forestry industry in Canada. About one-half of all the goods produced in British Columbia are forestry products, including lumber, newsprint, and pulp and paper products. Mining is also an important industry.
Tourism is the second largest industry in British Columbia. The natural beauty of the West Coast and the Rocky Mountains bring thousands of tourists to the province to fish, hike, camp and ski in the mountains.
Steady rainfall and steep mountain slopes in the province create ideal conditions for generating electricity. British Columbia is Canada’s second largest producer of hydroelectric power.
Fishing is also a valuable industry on the West Coast, but it is going through a major restructuring because of a downturn in the salmon fishery. The Okanagan Valley, which is located between the mountain ranges in the central area of the province, is famous for its fruit orchards and its wine industry.
Vancouver is the third largest city in Canada, and has North America’s second largest Chinese community. It provides important shipping and air links between Canada and other countries across the Pacific Ocean, such as China and Japan.
| Population (approximate) | |
| British Columbia | 4.1 million |
This material is based on the official copyright publication "A Look At Canada" produced by the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2006. It is reproduced here for the purposes of educating applicants for Canadian Citizenship.