Canada's most westerly province,
British Columbia is sandwiched between the
Rocky Mountains on the east and the mighty
Pacific Ocean on the west, bordered to the south by the
USA and to the north by the Northwest and
Yukon territories. Its location on the Pacific Rim ensures that British Columbia has a rich blend of cultures, with large numbers of Asian communities living among the descendants of the English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh pioneers. Together with the area's own rich native culture, this makes for interesting towns and cities with a cosmopolitan ambience.
The combination of sea
and mountains, and the broken coastline which sports hundreds of islands and inlets, gives the province a diverse set of natural attractions and recreational opportunities, from world-class winter sports to sailing or hiking in tall forests. It is especially attractive to travelers who enjoy the great outdoors, particularly because a good transport infrastructure of ferries, charter boats, trains and well-maintained roads makes it possible to access all the wilderness spots in British Columbia with ease and comfort.
The provincial capital is the city of Victoria, situated on the southern tip of
Vancouver Island, but its largest and most populated city is
Vancouver, known as Canada's 'emerald jewel' because of its green-blue vistas of mountains and sea.
