British Columbia is Canada's westernmost province and one of North America's most mountainous regions. B.C. is bordered by Alberta on the west (separated from Alberta by the Great Divide, the geographical boundary that determines whether running water flows east to Hudson's Bay or west to the Pacific), the Yukon Territory and Northwest Territory to the north, Alaska to the northwest, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the States of Washington, Idaho and Montana to the south. British Columbia is called "The Gateway to the Pacific and Asia. B.C. has a variety of landscapes and cultures within its boundaries. Where the Pacific Ocean reaches the continent, it encounters with a chain of islands, large and small, running from north to south. Some of these islands are nestled in fjords carved in the majestic Coastal Mountains, which rise more than 2000 m above sea level. To the east of the Coastal Mountains lies a rolling upland of forests, natural grasslands and lakes. Further east, the Rocky Mountains (with peaks more than 4000 m high) separate B.C. from neighbouring Alberta. In the north, a small corner of the province is occupied by the Great Plains. The province's climate equals its topography for variety. For example, the mild coastal region receives abundant precipitation -- from 130 to 380 cm of rain a year -- while the interior has a continental climate. Other parts of the province are almost desert-like, with very hot summers followed by very cold winters. Vancouver Island is a large island on the southwestern coast and is the location of the Province's capital city.

The Aboriginal peoples of British Columbia developed one of the richest and most complex cultures north of Mexico. The tribes that settled in this area developed completely different cultures and languages from each other as well as from other Aboriginal peoples of North America. The coastal inhabitants were experts at wood sculpture, as their totem poles attest even today. They were also famous for their skill and courage in whaling. As for their social system, it was marked by occasions such as the potlatch -- a ceremony in which important gifts were given to guests -- and by theatrical displays. The B.C. Government is currently working diligently to settle the land claims of the Aboriginal people living within our boundaries. This is a huge issue that certainly should have been settled a millennium ago. This is such a hot topic, sometimes violent, definitely controversial; but one that MUST be settled immediately. The current society was not the first cultured, civilized, or intelligent force to populate North America. B.C.'s Aboriginal Peoples were settled on reserves, with the most numerous being in B.C. There are more distinct Aboriginal nations located witin B.C. than any other province, upwards of 180 different cultures.

In 1774 the first Europeans, under the flag of Spain, visited what is now British Columbia. In contrast with eastern Canada, where the English and French were the two nationalities fighting over territory, Spain and Russia were the first countries to claim ownership of certain parts of British Columbia. In the 18th century, the Spanish claimed the west coast from Mexico to Vancouver Island. At the same time, the Russians were making an overlapping claim for control of the Pacific coast from Alaska to San Francisco. In 1778, Captain James Cook of Great Britain became the first person to chart the region. The first permanent colony, in present-day Victoria, was established by the British in 1843. When gold was discovered in the lower Fraser Valley in 1857, thousands of people came in search of instant wealth. To help maintain law and order, the British government established the colony of British Columbia the following year. In 1866, when the frenzy of the gold rush was over, the colony of Vancouver Island joined British Columbia. The colony was cut off from the rest of British North America by thousands of kilometres and a mountain range (people in B.C. feel that the rest of Canada has a problem seeing over the Rockies to this day). The promise of a rail link between the Pacific coast and the rest of Canada convinced British Columbia to join Confederation in 1871.

The majority of B.C.'s inhabitants are of British origin, but the population is enriched by immigrants and descendants of immigrants of all nationalities. More than 100,000 British Columbians are descendants of the thousands of Chinese who took part in the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the late 19th century. The Japanese began to arrive in the 1890s, becoming merchants and fishermen. Today, Vancouver has North America's second-largest Chinese community. More than 60,000 of B.C. inhabitants are from India, and 16,000 are from Japan. British Columbians of Asian heritage have contributed tremendously to the Province's economic and cultural vitality. British Columbia continues to attract Canadians and immigrants alike, with 40,000 settling here annually. Nearly 60 percent of the population live in the southern areas around Victoria and Vancouver. Vancouver, the largest dry cargo port on the Pacific Coast of North America, is home to more than 1.5 million people, which makes it the third-largest Canadian city.

The economy is based on the Province's great natural resources, primarily its vast forests, which cover 56 percent of its total area. Conifers from these forests are converted into lumber, newsprint, pulp and paper products, shingles and shakes -- about half the total softwood inventory of Canada. B.C. has some of the last intact rainforest in the world. Tourism is the next most important economic sector. Each year, about 15 million people visit British Columbia. With over five million hectares of parkland, the Rocky Mountains remain the biggest attraction. Coastal B.C., with its beaches, hiking trails, artists' colonies, wildlife reserves, whale-sighting locales and other attractions, is not far behind. Of increasing attraction to visitors are the Queen Charlotte Islands, large parts of which have recently been set aside as parkland. The area contains untouched wilderness and unique species of flora. The abandoned Haida village of Ninstints is of such historical and cultural importance that it has been designated a world heritage site by UNESCO.

Mining is the Province's third most important economic sector. Copper, gold and zinc are the leading metals extracted from B.C.; sulphur and asbestos are the leading industrial minerals. The most valuable resources, however, are coal, petroleum and natural gas. Agriculture and fishing, especially salmon fishing, are two other key sectors of the economy of British Columbia, whose dairy cattle are among Canada's most productive. The valleys of the southern interior, principally the Okanagan Valley, are famous for cultivation of tree fruits and grapes and for their wine industry. The cooler, wetter climate of the lower Fraser Valley produces rich crops of berries and vegetables. Manufacturing in B.C. is still largely resource-based, but is being gradually diversified by high-tech and computer-based industries related to telecommunications and the aerospace and sub-sea industries. British Columbia has the most balanced export market of all Canada's provinces, with the United States, Japan, the European Union and the Pacific Rim countries as its clientele.

British Columbia is one of the most beautiful and scenic provinces of Canada. Mountains, lakes, streams, rivers, oceans, forests, deserts .... whatever climate or scenery you could wish for. Vast tracts of land in B.C. have been declared parks and wilderness areas. Hiking, skiing, sailing, swimming, golfing .... what outdoor activity do you love? I bet you'd find just what you wanted in B.C.

I am a third generation British Columbian. My Grandparents were pioneers into the area which is the now world famous Whistler Mountain Ski Resort. I live in B.C.'s largest city, Vancouver; which was listed as one of the top ten most liveable cities in the world.