British Columbia, Western province in Pacific Northwest region, Canada.
British Columbia is a western province of Canada stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the Rocky Mountains, with coastlines, forests, mountains, lakes and inland desert regions. The landscape shifts between temperate rainforests along the coast, alpine plateaus inland and dry valleys in the south.
Britain established the mainland colony in 1858 after gold was discovered, drawing miners and settlers into the Fraser Canyon. Vancouver Island colony merged with the mainland in 1866, and both joined the Canadian Confederation in 1871.
The province is home to many First Nations communities with their own traditions, visible in crafts, languages and everyday practices. Visitors encounter this living culture at community centers, local markets and public ceremonies, where carving, weaving and storytelling continue to be passed down.
Vancouver International Airport connects the region with destinations across North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific. For travel within the province, rental cars on main highways or ferries along the coast work well, as the territory is large and often thinly settled.
The Great Bear Rainforest covers more than six million hectares along the Pacific coast and is home to the rare white Kermode bear and centuries-old cedars. This temperate rainforest is among the most ecologically protected coastal areas in the world.
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