British Columbia: nature to the nth power

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British Columbia is a province in western Canada. This province is located at the western end of the country, along the Pacific ocean coast. Britain is over four times the size and is the second largest province of Canada after Quebec (excluding the territories). The province, which is bordered in the west by the Pacific Ocean, borders in the north with Alaska, and with the Canadian territories of Yukon and the Northwest Territories. To the east the Canadian Rockies mark the border with the province of Alberta, while to the south it borders the United States of America (states of Washington, Idaho, and Montana).

A TERRITORY, LARGELY MOUNTAINOUS

British Columbia has a very rugged coastline along the Pacific Ocean with many islands in front of it. Among these islands there is also the large island of Vancouver (32,134 km²), where the city of Victoria, the capital of the province is located. Other important islands are those of the Queen Charlotte Islands group, whose two main islands are Graham Island (6,361 km²) and Moresby Island (2,608 km²).

The territory of British Columbia is largely mountainous. Along the coast is the Coast Mountains, whose highest peak is Mount Waddington (4,019 meters). North of the coast is British Columbia’s highest mountain, Mount Fairweather (4,671 meters). This mountain is located near the coast, on the border with Alaska, in the Fairweather Range.

The interior of the country is formed by a vast plateau, crossed by the Columbia, Stikine, Skeena and Fraser rivers. This plateau is also rich in lakes, often long and narrow, including Okanagan Lake, Kootenay Lake, and Shuswap Lake. British Columbia also has the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, Mount Robson (3,954 meters). Finally, there are numerous volcanoes in the region, including Mount Silverthrone (2,865 meters), Mount Meager (2,680 meters), Mount Garibaldi (2,678 meters), and finally Mount Edziza (2,787 meters).

WHAT TO SEE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Located between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, British Columbia is most famous for its beautiful natural landscapes, made up of mountains, rivers, waterfalls, glaciers, fjords, lakes and islands. For those visiting British Columbia, natural beauty is the main motivation for a trip. Just outside the city of Vancouver, nature manifests itself in spectacular landscapes such as along the Howe Sound along the road leading to Squamish and the Whistler ski center.

British Columbia has 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites: SGang Gwaay (Anthony Island), a small island in the Queen Charlotte Islands group, where the remains of the small Indian village of Ninstints are found, evidence of the culture of the Haida Indians. The glacier complex, on the border between Canada and Alaska, of Kluane / Wrangell-St Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek, of which the Tatshenshini glacier belongs to British Columbia. Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks: including the British Columbia national parks of Kootenay and Yoho, and the provincial parks of Mount Robson, Mount Assiniboine and Hamber.

British Columbia has a good climate, its coastal region is the sunniest in Canada, with moderate temperatures all year round. In the southern interior, the summer is hot and sunny, while the winters are cold. The northern inland region has low rainfall, cooler temperatures and moderate snowfall during the winter.

• Area: 944,735 km²
• Population: 4,419,974 (2009)
• Capital: Victoria
• Time zone: UTC-7 e UTC-8

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