Capital: Victoria Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Splendor without diminishment) Flower: Pacific Dogwood Population: (2005) 108,265 The Land The variety of its landscape is the main reason for British Columbia's distinctiveness: its 947 800 km2 offer remarkable topographical contrasts. Where the Pacific Ocean reaches the continent, it meets a chain of islands, large and small, running from north to south. Some of these islands are nestled in fiords carved in the majestic Coastal Mountains, which rise more than 2 000 metres above sea level. The People British Columbia continues to attract Canadians and foreigners alike: 22 000 persons settled in the province in 1998, and its population now exceeds 4 million - 13 percent of Canada's total. Nearly 60 percent live in Vancouver and Victoria, the province's capital. Vancouver, the largest dry cargo port on the Pacific coast of North America, is home to more than two million people, which makes it the third largest city in Canada. About three fourths of BC's population live in the southwestern corner of the province. The majority of B.C.'s inhabitants are of British origin, but the population includes immigrants and descendants of immigrants of all nationalities. More than 100 000 British Columbians are of Chinese origin, Vancouver has North America's second-largest Chinese community. In addition, more than 60,000 of B.C. inhabitants are from India and over 16,000 from Japan. The Aboriginal population of British Columbia is growing in numbers and is over 200,000 people Economy Tourism is an important economic sector in British Columbia. With over five million hectares of parkland, the Rocky Mountains remain the biggest attraction. Coastal B.C., with its beaches, and other attractions, is also popular. Each year, about 15 million people visit British Columbia. Agriculture and fishing, especially salmon fishing, are two other key sectors of the economy of British Columbia. 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.   *Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, Copyright (c) 2003.

Victoria is a Proud Torch Relay Community of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

The capital city of British Columbia, Victoria boasts many historic buildings and some of the most fascinating museums in Western Canada. The city benefits from one of Canada's mildest climates, which allows its residents to pursue outdoor pleasures all year round.

Victoria also enjoys some of the country's most exhilarating scenery: there's an ocean or mountain vista around every corner, while the city's flower gardens are famous the world over. Whether your taste runs to golfing, hiking, biking and fishing or you're more the shopping, dining and theatre type, there are no end of delights for you and your family in Victoria.

Established in 1843 by James Douglas as a fort for the Hudson's Bay Company, Victoria's British ancestry is apparent in the double-decker buses, horse-drawn carriages, formal gardens, and tearooms. The city is now a cosmopolitan centre with a lively entertainment scene and a wonderful array of attractions.

Victoria also has another reason to be proud: it was ranked at number 16 of 100 Top World Destinations in the 2008 TripAdvisor Traveller's Choice Awards.

Highlights of the city include:

Inner Harbour

Savour the sights of Victoria's downtown Inner Harbour, which includes the historic Legislative Buildings, home of the provincial government; the Royal BC Museum; and Thunderbird Park, with an amazing display of 15 impressive totem poles. End your journey at the imposing, yet elegant, Fairmont Empress Hotel with a traditional high tea.
 

The Butchart Gardens

Victoria is famed for its gardens, and none more so than Butchart. Over 100 years old, more than one million people visit this botanical wonderland each year for the rare, dramatic and colourful displays.
 

Royal British Columbia Museum

The fascinating history of BC is on display here with exhibits covering human and natural history from pre-Ice Age to the present day.
 

Chinatown

Enter through the Gate of Harmonious Interest to North America's second oldest Chinatown to view such fascinating sights as the narrowest street in Canada.
 

Galloping Goose Trail

Walk, run or bike along an old railway line past farmland, a quiet cove and hidden lake, rocky outcrops, a Douglas-fir forest, marshland and more.
 

Explore the city

Explore the city in a variety of unique ways: by horse-drawn carriage, double-decker bus, rickshaw, scooter, bicycle, water taxi as well as by canoe or kayak.
 

Whale watching

Take a boat tour to catch the thrilling sight of Orcas, pods of which make their home in these Pacific waters.
 

Fisgard Lighthouse

Visit an intriguing landmark and discover why Vancouver Island's west coast was called the "graveyard of the Pacific."
 

Study the stars and planets through the planetarium and exhibits.