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British Columbia is the Pacific coast province in western Canada
that is bounded on the north by Yukon Territory and the Northwest
Territories; on the east by Alberta; on the south by the states of
Montana, Idaho, and Washington; and on the west by the Pacific
Ocean and Alaska. The crest of the Rocky Mountains forms the
southeastern boundary. The province is the only part of Canada on
the Pacific Ocean, and it includes Vancouver Island and the Queen
Charlotte Islands off the western coast. British Columbia is
Canada’s third largest province in area and population, behind
Québec and Ontario. Much of it is rugged and mountainous. More
than half the population lives in the southwestern corner of the
province, which includes the largest city, Vancouver, and the
provincial capital, Victoria.
British Columbia has an area of 944,735 sq km (364,764 sq mi).
Forests cover 69 percent of British Columbia, and the province
contains nearly 40 percent of Canada’s commercial-quality wood.
Large mammals are abundant in British Columbia and include grizzly
bear, black bear, moose, caribou, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, and
mountain goat. Other mammals include beaver, lynx, marten, mink,
and otter. The great diversity of habitat also harbors a wide
range of bird life, especially waterfowl. Also found are various
species of frogs, toads, and snakes, including rattlesnakes in the
southern interior. Coastal waters are rich in salmon, herring,
tuna, and shellfish. Trout, pike, and sturgeon are important game
fish in many of the rivers.
In 2003 the gross domestic product (GDP), which measures the
value of all goods and services produced, was C$145.5 billion.
Tourism is a significant and growing sector of the British
Columbian economy. Vancouver and Victoria are major tourist
destinations. Victoria celebrates its "Englishness". Vancouver
holds a great variety of attractions from the scenic to the
cultural, from sports events to fine restaurants. It is a major
port of entry for visitors arriving in British Columbia by air,
and a departure point for cruise-ship vacations on the British
Columbian and Alaskan coasts. In the summer, camping is popular
among provincial residents, and campgrounds on Vancouver Island,
in the Okanagan Valley, and in the Rocky Mountains in particular
draw sizable numbers from the western United States and Alberta.
Resort destinations and luxury hotel accommodations are also a
significant part of the tourism infrastructure. The
Whistler-Blackcomb area, less than two hours drive north of
Vancouver, is a world-class ski resort and a year-round
recreational center. Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island draws
many tourists every year. Large and rapid growth in tourism from
Asia (and Japan in particular) occurred in the 1980s and 1990s.
Initially concentrated on sightseeing, this traffic has
diversified to include significant numbers who come to British
Columbia for skiing or golfing holidays.
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