British Columbia: Quick Facts

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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 14, 2026

News •

More stormy weather forecast for B.C., but alerts and warnings downgraded • Nov. 13, 2026, 8:37 AM ET (CBC)

‘A river running through my house’: Vancouver Island hit by B.C. flooding • Nov. 11, 2026, 7:03 PM ET (CTV News)

Canadian Authorities Kill 4 Bears Involved in Deadly Attack on Hikers • Nov. 10, 2026, 11:54 PM ET (New York Times)

4 grizzly bears responsible for killing mother and daughter in B.C., officials say • Nov. 10, 2026, 6:12 PM ET (CBC)

B.C. doctor to highlight emotional effects of drug crisis when he addresses Thunder Bay, Ont., conference • Nov. 10, 2026, 10:53 AM ET (CBC)

Facts

Capital	Victoria
Population	(2021) 5,000,879; (2025 est.) 5,697,536
Date Of Admission	1871
Provincial Motto	"Slendor sine occasu (Splendour without diminishment)"
Provincial Flower	Pacific dogwood
Seats In House Of Commons	43 (of 337)
Time Zone	Pacific (GMT − 8 hours) • Mountain (GMT − 7 hours)
Premier	David Eby (New Democratic Party)
Total Area (Sq Km)	944,735
Total Area (Sq Mi)	364,764

Photos and Videos

British Columbia flag

British Columbia

British Columbia provincial flower

Map of British Columbia, Canada, showing major cities, political subdivision capitals, and key towns. The map highlights international boundaries with the United States and Alaska, as well as provincial borders with Alberta, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. An inset locator map in the top left shows British Columbia's position within Canada.

A car drives along the Trans-Canada Highway with Mount Sir Donald's sharp, snow-capped peak rising above forested slopes in the Selkirk Mountains, British Columbia.

Map of Canada highlighting British Columbia in the western part of the country, with its capital Victoria labeled. Surrounding regions, major bodies of water, and neighboring countries including the United States and Greenland are also shown for context.

Map of British Columbia highlighting major physical features such as mountain ranges, rivers, lakes, and dams. The map shows international and provincial boundaries, neighboring regions including Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Alberta, and Washington State, and includes a small locator map of Canada in the top left corner. Notable features include the Coast Mountains, Rocky Mountains, Fraser River, Okanagan Lake, and Vancouver Island.

Coast Mountains

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Topics

Franz Boas Glen Clark Sir John Macdonald Sir James Douglas Sir Richard McBride Canada province Vancouver Victoria North Vancouver Manitoba Quebec Ontario Alberta Nova Scotia Newfoundland and Labrador Saskatchewan Prince Edward Island New Brunswick Taiwan

Franz Boas

Franz Boas

German-American anthropologist

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Glen Clark

Canadian politician

Sir John Macdonald

Sir John Macdonald

prime minister of Canada

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Sir James Douglas

Canadian statesman

McBride, Sir Richard

Sir Richard McBride

Canadian statesman

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E. Mavis Hetherington

Canadian-born developmental psychologist

Canada

country, North America

Vancouver

Vancouver

British Columbia, Canada

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Victoria

British Columbia, Canada

North Vancouver

North Vancouver

British Columbia, Canada

Revelstoke

Revelstoke

British Columbia, Canada

Kamloops, B.C., at the confluence of the North and South Thompson rivers

Kamloops

British Columbia, Canada

Illustration of Fort Langley, British Columbia (now in Canada), published in Harper's magazine, 1858.

Langley

British Columbia, Canada

A sawmill in Nelson, B.C.

Nelson

British Columbia, Canada

Prince Rupert: Sunken Gardens

Prince Rupert

British Columbia, Canada

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Fort Saint James

British Columbia, Canada

the Bastion, Nanaimo

Nanaimo

British Columbia, Canada

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Fort Saint John

British Columbia, Canada

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Vernon

British Columbia, Canada

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Chilliwack

British Columbia, Canada

A residential area of Kimberley, B.C., with the Sullivan and North Star hills in the background

Kimberley

British Columbia, Canada