Geography of British Columbia 3058101 220502320 2008-06-20T04:35:45Z 24.70.25.170 /* Climate */ {{Country geography | <!-- Adapted for Province use --> name =British Columbia | map =BC-relief.png| continent =[[North America]] | region =[[Western Canada]]| coordinates ={{coor dm|48|50|N|114|03|W|region:CA}} --<br />{{coor dm|60|00|N|139|03|W|region:CA}} | area|ranking =3rd among provinces | km area =944735 | percent land= 97.9 | km coastline =27000 | borders =[[Land borders|Total land borders]]: [[U.S.]] states [[Alaska]], [[Washington]], [[Idaho]], [[Montana]]; Canadian provinces [[Alberta]], [[Yukon]] and [[Northwest Territories]] | highest point= [[Mount Fairweather]]<br />4,663&nbsp;m (15,299&nbsp;ft)| lowest point= [[Pacific Ocean]]<br />sea level| longest river=[[Fraser River]]<br />1,368 km (850 mi)| largest lake=[[Williston Lake]]<br /> 1,761&nbsp;km² (680&nbsp;sq ft) | }} [[British Columbia]] is the westernmost province of [[Canada]], bordered by the [[Pacific Ocean]]. With an area of 944,735 square kilometers (364,764 square miles) it is [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Canada's third-largest province]]. The province is nearly four times the size of [[Great Britain]], two and one-half times larger than [[Japan]] and larger than every [[United States|U.S.]] [[States of the United States|state]] except [[Alaska]]. It is bound on the northwest by the U.S. state of Alaska, directly north by [[Yukon]] and the [[Northwest Territories]], on the east by [[Alberta]], and on the south by the U.S. states of [[Washington]], [[Idaho]], and [[Montana]]. The southern border of British Columbia was established by the [[1846]] [[Oregon Treaty]]. The province is dominated by [[mountain range]]s, among them the [[Canadian Rockies]] but dominantly the [[Coast Mountains]], Cassiar Mountains and the [[Columbia Mountains]]. Most of the population is concentrated on the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] coast, notably in the area of [[Vancouver, British Columbia|Vancouver]], located on the southwestern tip of the mainland. ==Urban areas== British Columbia's capital is [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]], at the southeast tip of [[Vancouver Island]]. Its most populous city is [[Vancouver, British Columbia|Vancouver]]. Other major cities include [[Surrey, British Columbia|Surrey]] (the second-largest), [[Burnaby, British Columbia|Burnaby]], [[Coquitlam, British Columbia|Coquitlam]], [[Richmond, British Columbia|Richmond]], [[Delta, British Columbia|Delta]], and [[New Westminster, British Columbia|New Westminster]] in the [[Greater Vancouver Regional District]] (GVRD); [[Abbotsford, British Columbia|Abbotsford]], [[Langley, British Columbia (city)|Langley]], [[Maple Ridge, British Columbia|Maple Ridge]], [[Mission, British Columbia|Mission]] and [[Chilliwack, British Columbia|Chilliwack]], in the central and upper Fraser Valley; [[Nanaimo, British Columbia|Nanaimo]] on Vancouver Island; and [[Kelowna, British Columbia|Kelowna]] and [[Kamloops, British Columbia|Kamloops]] in the "[[Interior Plateau|Interior]]." [[Prince George, British Columbia|Prince George]] is the major city nearest the centre of the province; however, a small town called [[Fraser Lake, British Columbia|Fraser Lake]], 150 km to the west, is much nearer the geographic centre. <div style="float:left;width:60%;"> {{col-begin}} {{col-break|width=50%}} {|class="sortable wikitable" style="margin-left:20px;" |+'''Ten largest B.C. municipalities by population''' !align=left|Municipality !2006<ref>BC Stats [http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/data/cen06/profiles/detail_b/ch_alpha.asp ''2006 Census of Canada: Census Profiles'']. Retrieved on [[March 15]], [[2008]].</ref> !2001 !1996 |- |align=left|[[Vancouver]] |578,041 |545,671 |514,008 |- |align=left|[[Surrey, British Columbia|Surrey]] |394,976 |347,825 |304,477 |- |align=left|[[Burnaby, British Columbia|Burnaby]] |202,799 |193,954 |179,209 |- |align=left|[[Richmond, British Columbia|Richmond]] |174,461 |164,345 |148,867 |- |align=left|[[Abbotsford, British Columbia|Abbotsford]] |123,864 |115,463 |104,403 |- |align=left|[[Coquitlam, British Columbia|Coquitlam]] |114,565 |112,890 |101,820 |- |align=left|[[Saanich, British Columbia|Saanich]] |108,265 |103,654 |101,388 |- |align=left|[[Kelowna, British Columbia|Kelowna]] |106,707 |96,288 |89,422 |- |align=left|[[Delta, British Columbia|Delta]] |96,723 |96,950 |95,411 |- |align=left|[[Langley, British Columbia (district municipality)|Langley&nbsp;Township]] |93,726 |86,896 |80,179 |} {{col-break|width=50%}} {|class="wikitable" style="margin-left:20px;" |+'''Ten largest B.C. Urban Areas by population''' !Urban Area !2001 |- |align=left|[[Vancouver]] |1,829,854 |- |align=left|[[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]] |288,346 |- |align=left|[[Abbotsford, British Columbia|Abbotsford]] |129,475 |- |align=left|[[Kelowna, British Columbia|Kelowna]] |108,330 |- |align=left|[[Nanaimo, British Columbia|Nanaimo]] |77,845 |- |align=left|[[Kamloops, British Columbia|Kamloops]] |67,952 |- |align=left|[[Prince George, British Columbia|Prince George]] |66,239 |- |align=left|[[White Rock, British Columbia|White Rock]] |66,157 |- |align=left|[[Chilliwack, British Columbia|Chilliwack]] |51,713 |- |align=left|[[Vernon, British Columbia|Vernon]] |39,995 |} :''<small>"Urban Areas", as defined by Statistics Canada, are areas of continuous population density, ignoring municipal borders.</small>'' {{col-end}} </div> <br clear=all> ==Statistics== See also: [[Demographics of British Columbia]] *Total area is 944,735 km² *Land area is 925,186 km² *Water area is 19,549 km² (2.1%) ==Physical geography== ===Terrain=== The [[Canadian Rockies]] and the [[Inside Passage|Inside Passage's]] [[fjord]]s provide some of British Columbia's renowned and spectacular scenery. These landforms provide the backdrop and context for a growing outdoor adventure and [[ecotourism]] industry. In the southwestern corner of B.C., the Lower Fraser Valley forms a flat, fertile triangle of intensively used land. The [[Okanagan]] is one of only three wine-growing regions in [[Canada]] and also produces [[cider]]s. While exports are minimal, BC wines are highly-prized and ranked well internationally. The city of [[Penticton, British Columbia|Penticton]] and the small towns [[Oliver, British Columbia|Oliver]], and [[Osoyoos, British Columbia|Osoyoos]] have some of the warmest summer climates in Canada, although the hottest spots are the towns of [[Lillooet, British Columbia|Lillooet]] and [[Lytton, British Columbia|Lytton]] in the [[Fraser Canyon]]. Much of [[Vancouver Island]] is covered by a temperate [[rain forest]], one of a mere handful of such [[ecosystem]]s in the world (notable others being on the [[Olympic Peninsula]] of Washington and in [[Chile]]. One-third of the province consists of barren [[alpine tundra]], [[icefield]]s, and [[glacier]]s. [[Image:Tantalus Range.jpg|thumb|285px|Sky Pilot Group (L), [[Tantalus Range]] (R), part of the [[Coast Mountains]] as seen from the [[Cheakamus River|Cheakamus Canyon]]]] ====Mountains==== The younger ranges of the Canadian Rockies were uplifted during the late [[Cretaceous period]] (140 million-65 million years ago) and are a relatively new, tall and uneroded mountain range [http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/SNT/noframe/wm146.htm], [http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/natmap/cf/intro_e.php]. During the [[Ice age]] all of British Columbia was covered by ice (except [[Queen Charlotte Islands]]). B.C.'s Eastern Mountain System comprises the dominant Canadian Rockies, with the [[Cariboo Mountains|Cariboo]], [[Selkirk Mountains|Selkirk]], [[Monashee Mountains|Monashee]], and [[Purcell Mountains|Purcell]] ranges of the [[Columbia Mountains|Columbia Mountain]] system in the south. The Canadian Rockies incorporate the Canadian segment of the North American [[Rocky Mountains]] [[mountain range|range]]. The southern end in Alberta and British Columbia borders Idaho and Montana of the United States. The northern end is at the [[Liard Plain]] in British Columbia. The Western Mountain System's [[Coast Mountains]] are the westernmost range of the [[Pacific Cordillera]], running along the western shore of the North American continent, extending south from the Alaska Panhandle and covering most of coastal British Columbia. The range is covered in dense temperate rainforest on its western exposures, the range rises to heavily glaciated peaks, including the largest temperature-latitude icefields in the world, and then tapers to the dry interior plateau on its eastern flanks, or to the subarctic boreal forest of the Skeena Mountains and Stikine Plateau. [[Mount Waddington]] (4016 m) is the highest mountain within B.C. and [[Fairweather Mountain]] in the [[Saint Elias Mountains]] on the B.C. and Alaska border has the highest point. Much of the B.C. coast has a fjord scenery, due to the many islands along the Pacific coast being the highest points of a partly submerged mountain range. <!-- formation of mountains (relate to glaciers? faults?) --> {| class="wikitable" <caption>'''British Columbia's principal mountains by range and height'''</caption> |- !Mountain !Height (m) !Mountain !Height (m) |- |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" colspan="2" |Saint Elias Mountains |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" colspan="2" |Rocky Mountains (cont.) |- |Fairweather Mountain (highest point on Alaska–B.C. boundary) |style="text-align: center" | 4,663 |[[Mount Assiniboine]] (on Alberta–B.C. boundary) |style="text-align: center" | 3,618 |- |[[Mount Quincy Adams (Fairweather Range)|Mount Quincy Adams]] (on Alaska–B.C. boundary) |style="text-align: center" | 4,133 |Mount Goodsir: North Tower |style="text-align: center" | 3,581 |- |[[Mount Root]] (on Alaska–B.C. boundary) |style="text-align: center" | 3,901 |Mount Goodsir: South Tower |style="text-align: center" | 3,520 |- |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" colspan="2" |Coast Mountains |[[Snow Dome (Canada)|Snow Dome]] (on Alberta–B.C. boundary) |style="text-align: center" | 3,520 |- |[[Mount Waddington]] |style="text-align: center" | 4,016 |[[Mount Bryce]] |style="text-align: center" | 3,507 |- |[[Mount Tiedemann]] |style="text-align: center" | 3,848 |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" colspan="2" |Selkirk Mountains |- |[[Combatant Mountain]] |style="text-align: center" | 3,756 |[[Mount Sir Sandford]] |style="text-align: center" | 3,522 |- |[[Asperity Mountain]] |style="text-align: center" | 3,716 |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" colspan="2" |Cariboo Mountains |- |[[Serra Peaks]] |style="text-align: center" | 3,642 |[[Mount Sir Wilfrid Laurier]] |style="text-align: center" | 3,520 |- |[[Monarch Mountain]] |style="text-align: center" | 3,459 |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" colspan="2" |Purcell Mountains |- |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" colspan="2" |Rocky Mountains |[[Mount Farnham]] |style="text-align: center" | 3,481 |- |[[Mount Robson]] |style="text-align: center" | 3,954 |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" colspan="2" |Monashee Mountains |- |[[Mount Columbia (Alberta)|Mount Columbia]] (on Alberta–B.C. boundary) |style="text-align: center" | 3,747 |[[Mount Monashee]] |style="text-align: center" | 3,274 |- |[[Mount Clemenceau]] |style="text-align: center" | 3,642 |[[Hallam Peak]] |style="text-align: center" | 3,205 |- |} ''Sources [http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/phys03.htm Statistics Canada], [http://www.peakbagger.com/range.aspx?rid=1313 peakbagger.com]'' ====Volcanoes==== {{Main|Volcanism in Canada}} [[Image:Mount_Edziza,_British_Columbia.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Mount Edziza]], a large [[shield volcano]] in northwestern British Columbia.]] Although little-known to the general public, British Columbia is home to huge area of [[volcano]]es and volcanic activity in the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]].[http://www.skimountaineer.com/ROF/Region.php?region=AlaskaCanada] Several mountains that many British Columbians look at every day are [[dormant volcano]]es. Most of them have erupted during the [[Pleistocene]] and [[Holocene]]. Although none of Canada's volcanoes are currently erupting, several volcanoes, [[volcanic field]]s, and volcanic centers are considered potentially active,[http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=14897949] 49 of which have erupted in the past 10,000 years[http://www.springerlink.com/content/q5p6lq507879p481/] and many of which have been active in the past two million years. There are [[hot spring]]s at some volcanoes while 10 volcanoes in British Columbia appear related to [[seismology|seismic activity]] since [[1975]], including: [[Mount Silverthrone]], [[Mount Meager]], [[Wells Gray-Clearwater Volcanic Field]], [[Mount Garibaldi]], [[Mount Cayley]], [[Castle Rock (volcano)|Castle Rock]], [[Lava Fork]], [[Mount Edziza]], [[Hoodoo Mountain]] and [[Crow Lagoon]].[http://www.bcminerals.ca/pdf/CanadianVolcanoes-CH2005.pdf] Numerous [[shield volcano]]es developed during the [[Tertiary]] period in north-central British Columbia and some were active intermittently to recent times. [[Mount Edziza]] and [[Level Mountain]] are most spectacular examples. Mount Edziza is a [[stratovolcano]] consisting of a basal shield of [[basalt]]ic flows surmounted by a central vent and flanked by numerous satellite cones, ash beds and blocky lavas. The complex has a long history of volcanic eruption that began about 10 million years ago and ended about 1300 years ago. The volcanoes are grouped into four [[volcanic belt]]s with different tectonic settings. The [[Garibaldi Volcanic Belt]] is a north-south range of volcanoes in southwestern British Columbia. It is the northern extension of the [[Cascade Volcanoes|Cascade Volcanic Arc]] in the [[United States]] and contains the most explosive young volcanoes in Canada. It was formed by [[subduction]] of the [[Juan de Fuca Plate]] at the [[Cascadia subduction zone]]. Eruption styles within the belt range from [[effusive eruption|effusive]] to [[explosive eruption|explosive]], with compositions from [[basalt]] to [[rhyolite]]. The most recent major catastrophic eruption was the 2350 BP eruption of Mount Meager. It produced a [[eruption column|ash column]] at least 20 km high into the [[stratosphere]] and [[dam]]med the [[Lillooet River]] with [[breccia]]. [[Image:MountMeagerPlinthCapricorn.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The [[Mount Meager]] volcanic complex as seen from the east near Pemberton, BC. Summits left to right are [[Capricorn Mountain]], Mount Meager, and [[Plinth Peak]].]] The [[Anahim Volcanic Belt]] is an east-west line of volcanoes. These volcanoes probably formed when the [[North American Plate]] moved over the [[Anahim hotspot]]. The [[hotspot (geology)|hotspot]] is considered similar to the one feeding the [[Hawaiian Islands]]. The last volcanic eruption within the belt was about 7000 years ago at a small [[cinder cone]] called [[Nazko Cone]]. The [[Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province]] (sometimes called the Stikine Volcanic Belt) is the most active volcanic region in Canada, contaning more than 100 volcanoes. Several eruptions are known to have occurred within this region in the past 400 years and contains Canada's largest volcanoes. It formed as a result of [[geologic fault|faulting]], [[cracking]], [[rift]]ing and the interaction between the [[Pacific Plate|Pacific]] and the [[North American Plate|North American]] plates. The [[Chilcotin Plateau Basalts]] in southern British Columbia is thought to have formed as a result of [[back-arc basin|back-arc extension]] behind the [[Cascadia subduction zone]]. The [[Wells Gray-Clearwater Volcanic Field]] in southeastern British Columbia consists of numerous small, [[basalt]]ic volcanoes and extensive [[lava]] flows. Many indivdual volcanoes in the field have been active for the last 3 million years during which time the region was covered by thick glacial ice at least twice, prior to the well known [[Fraser Glaciation]] (also known as the [[Wisconsin Glaciation]]). The origin of the volcanism is yet unknown but is probably related to [[crust (geology)|crustal]] thining. The last eruption in the field was at [[Kostal Cone]] in [[1500]]. Volcanism within the field has also created the 465 foot-high [[Helmcken Falls]], which is the fourth highest [[waterfall]] in Canada. It owes its foundation to the deposits of [[volcanic rock]] that were placed down in the wide [[valley]] of the [[Murtle River]]. Layer upon layer of fresh lava created flat areas, over which enormous [[flood]]s flowed during the last [[ice age]]. These floods shaped the upright [[cliff]] in the [[lava flows]] over which the [[river]] now flows. The protection of Helmcken Falls was one of the major causes for the development of [[Wells Gray Provincial Park]]. As a result, if it had not been for the volcanic eruptions, it is not likely that such a large wilderness region would have been made. [[Image:Canada BC lakes map.png|thumb|300px|Lakes of British Columbia. [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Canada_BC_lakes_map.png See actual size].]] [[Image:Tagish Lake.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A portion of [[Atlin Lake]] (on the right half of the image) during the winter, as seen from space. The photo illustrates well the elongated lakes in B.C.]] ===Water=== [[Fraser River]] forms an important transportation corridor when it drains much of central and southern British Columbia flowing to the Pacific Ocean. Other major rivers include the upper [[Columbia River]] and the [[Kootenay River]]. In the northern B.C. the [[Stikine River|Stikine]], [[Nass River|Nass]] and [[Skeena River|Skeena]] rivers flow toward the Pacific Ocean, and [[Peace River (Canada)|Peace River]] flows northeast toward the [[Arctic Ocean]]. [[Hydroelectric]] resources in B.C. are highly developed with large plants along the rivers operating pulp and paper mills. The Fraser, Nass, and Skeena rivers have not been dammed in order to protect the salmon runs on them. Rivers and their valleys have for a long time provided routes through the mountains for people in B.C. [http://uk.encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761574576/British_Columbia.html] Long, narrow lakes are found throughout the valleys of the southern and central interior. Among these are [[Atlin Lake|Atlin]], [[Kootenay Lake|Kootenay]], [[Okanagan Lake|Okanagan]], [[Quesnel Lake|Quesnel]], and [[Shuswap Lake|Shuswap]] lakes. Several high dams have impounded large reservoir lakes like [[Kinbasket Lake]], particularly on the Columbia (see [[Hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River]]) and Peace rivers. [[Williston Lake]], on the Peace River, is the province’s largest freshwater body. {| class="wikitable" <caption>'''British Columbia's principal rivers and their tributaries'''</caption> |- !River !Drainage area (km²) !Length (km) |- |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" |Columbia (mouth to head of Columbia Lake) |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" | |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" style="text-align: right" |2,000 |- |style="text-indent: 1em;" | (International boundary to head of Columbia Lake) |style="text-align: right" |102,800 |style="text-align: right" |801 |- |style="text-indent: 1em;" | Kootenay |style="text-align: right" |37,700 |style="text-align: right" |780 |- |style="text-indent: 1em;" |Kettle (to head of Holmes Lake) |style="text-align: right" |4,700 |style="text-align: right" |336 |- |style="text-indent: 1em;" |Okanagan (to head of Okanagan Lake) |style="text-align: right" |21,600 |style="text-align: right" |314 |- |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" |Fraser |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" style="text-align: right" |232,300 |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" style="text-align: right" |1,370 |- |style="text-indent: 1em;" |Thompson (to head of North Thompson) |style="text-align: right" |55,400 |style="text-align: right" |489 |- |style="text-indent: 1em;" |North Thompson |style="text-align: right" |20,700 |style="text-align: right" |338 |- |style="text-indent: 1em;" |South Thompson (to head of Shuswap) |style="text-align: right" |17,800 |style="text-align: right" |332 |- |style="text-indent: 1em;" |Nechako (to head of Eutsuk Lake) |style="text-align: right" |47,100 |style="text-align: right" |462 |- |style="text-indent: 1em;" |Stuart (to head of Driftwood) |style="text-align: right" |16,200 |style="text-align: right" |415 |- |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" |Skeena |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" style="text-align: right" |54,400 |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" style="text-align: right" |579 |- |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" |Stikine |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" style="text-align: right" |49,800 |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" style="text-align: right" |539 |- |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" |Nass |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" style="text-align: right" |21,100 |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" style="text-align: right" |380 |- |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" |Peace (to head of Finlay) |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" style="text-align: right" |302,500 |bgcolor="#FFEBAD" style="text-align: right" |1,923 |- |} [[Image:OkanaganLake1.jpg|thumb|340px|View of [[Okanagan Lake]]]] ''Source [http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/phys06.htm?sdi=river Statistics Canada]'' {| class="sortable wikitable" <caption>'''British Columbia's principal lakes with relevant information'''</caption> |- !Lake !Area (km²) !Altitude (m) !Depth (m) !Volume (km³) |- |Williston |style="text-align: right" |1,761 |style="text-align: right" |671 |style="text-align: right" |166 |style="text-align: right" |70.3 |- |Atlin |style="text-align: right" |589 - 775 |style="text-align: right" |668 |style="text-align: right" |283 |style="text-align: right" |54 |- |Kootenay |style="text-align: right" | 389 |style="text-align: right" | 530 |style="text-align: right" | 154 |style="text-align: right" | 36.7 |- |Okanagan |style="text-align: right" | 351 |style="text-align: right" | 342 |style="text-align: right" | 230 |style="text-align: right" | 24.6 |- |Shuswap |style="text-align: right" | 310 |style="text-align: right" | 347 |style="text-align: right" | 161 |style="text-align: right" | 19.1 |- |Quesnel |style="text-align: right" | 270 |style="text-align: right" | 729 |style="text-align: right" | >600 |style="text-align: right" | - |- |} ''Sources [http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/phys05.htm?sdi=lakes Statistics Canada], [http://www.ilec.or.jp/database/map/area/wname.html WLD], [http://www.anglersatlas.com/freemaps/bc/bclist.php anglersatlas.com]'' ===Climate=== British Columbia's climate is best described as varied. The mountainous terrain causes huge changes climatic conditions over short distances. All winter long the coast is pounded with storm after storm off the Pacific Ocean. The Coastal Mountains block most of the precipitation which forces the majority of the precipitation to fall on the West side of the mountains. In contrast, the leeward side is much drier with some areas are classified as semi-arid. The coast of British Columbia is by far the wettest area in Canada, while the village of Ashcroft located 200 km inland is the driest place in Canada outside of the high arctic. Coastal British Columbia experiences the mildest winters in Canada were freezing temperatures are infrequent. Victoria, generally considered the mildest city in Canada, has gone the entire winter without freezing. Along with the moderating effect of the [[Pacific Ocean]], the mountains impede the flow of the cold arctic air during the winter. The only exception is the northeastern portion of the province situated on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains. Without the protection of the mountains, the climate is similar to that found in the neighboring parts of Alberta. The winters are very cold and the summers are warmer than areas west of the Rockies. Summer daytime temperatures in the Southwestern Interior are the hottest in Canada. During July, the average daily maximum temperature around [[Osoyoos, British Columbia|Osoyoos]] and Spence's Bridge is over 29&nbsp;°C (84.2&nbsp;°F). This heat combined with little precipitation means that arid animals and vegetation thrive. Although winter temperatures are much colder than Coastal British Columbia, this area is still milder than almost anywhere else in Canada. Although the Southern Interior valleys, including the Okanagan Valley, are spared the copious amounts of precipitation, they receive some the lowest amounts of bright sunshine in Canada during the winter months. This is a result of winter temperature inversions that leave the valleys in a layer of think cloud while the rest of the province basks in sunshine. {|class="wikitable" |+Representative Climate Normals |- !Zone !Average annual temperature !Average July daily high !Record Max !Average January daily low !Record Min !Average snowfall !Average rainfall |- !North East ([[Fort Nelson, British Columbia|Fort Nelson]]) | align="center" |-0.7 °C | align="center" |23 °C | align="center" |36.7 °C | align="center" |-25.6 °C | align="center" |-51.7 °C | align="center" |177.8 cm | align="center" |319.8 mm |- !North West ([[Dease Lake, British Columbia|Dease Lake]]) | align="center" |-0.8 °C | align="center" |19.4 °C | align="center" |35.3 °C | align="center" |-22 °C | align="center" |-51.2 °C | align="center" |218.4 cm | align="center" |264.8 mm |- !Peace ([[Dawson Creek, British Columbia|Dawson Creek]]) | align="center" |1.6 °C | align="center" |21.7 °C | align="center" |34.5 °C | align="center" |-20.6 °C | align="center" |-49.2 °C | align="center" |174.2 cm | align="center" |325.6 mm |- !Central Interior ([[Prince George, British Columbia|Prince George]]) | align="center" |4.0 °C | align="center" |22.1 °C | align="center" |36.0 °C | align="center" |-13.6 °C | align="center" |-50.0 °C | align="center" |216.1 cm | align="center" |418.9 mm |- !North Coast ([[Prince Rupert, British Columbia|Prince Rupert]]) | align="center" |7.1 °C | align="center" |16.1 °C | align="center" |28.7 °C | align="center" |-2.1 °C | align="center" |-24.4 °C | align="center" |126.3 cm | align="center" |2468.5 mm |- !Southwestern Interior ([[Kamloops, British Columbia|Kamloops]]) | align="center" |8.9 °C | align="center" |28.3 °C | align="center" |40.6 °C | align="center" |-7.6 °C | align="center" |-37.2 °C | align="center" |75.5 cm | align="center" |217.9 mm |- !Southeastern Interior ([[Cranbrook, British Columbia|Cranbrook]]) | align="center" |5.7 °C | align="center" |25.6 °C | align="center" |36.6 °C | align="center" |-11.8 °C | align="center" |-40.0 °C | align="center" |139.9 cm | align="center" |270.7 mm |- !South Coast ([[Vancouver, British Columbia|Vancouver]]) | align="center" |10.1 °C | align="center" |21.7 °C | align="center" |33.3 °C | align="center" |0.5 °C | align="center" |-17.8 °C | align="center" |48.2 cm | align="center" |1154.7 mm |} Source: [http://www.climate.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/climate_normals/index_e.html Environment Canada, ''Canadian Climate Normals or Averages 1971-2000''] {|class="wikitable" |+City Weather Facts - *Based on the 100 largest cities in Canada |- ! !Warmest Annual Temperature !Coldest Annual Temperature !Sunniest !Cloudiest !Driest !Wettest |- !City | align="center" |Chiliwack - 10.5 °C | align="center" |Fort St. John - 2.0 °C | align="center" |Cranbrook - 2205 hours | align="center" |Prince Rupert - 1229 hours | align="center" |Kamloops - 279 mm | align="center" |Prince Rupert - 2594 mm |} Source: [http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/weather/winners/intro-e.html Environment Canada, ''Weather Winners WebSite''] ===Parks and Protected Areas=== There are 14 designations of parks and protected areas in the province that reflects the different administration and creation of these areas in a modern context. There are 141 ecological Reserves, 35 provincial marine parks, 7 Provincial Heritage Sites, 6 National Historic Sites, 4 National Parks and 3 National Park Reserves. 12.5% (114,000 km²) of BC is currently considered 'protected' under one of the 14 different designations that includes over 800 distinct areas. British Columbia contains seven of [[National Parks of Canada|Canada's national parks]]: *[[Glacier National Park (Canada)|Glacier National Park]] *[[Gulf Islands National Park Reserve]] *[[Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site]] *[[Kootenay National Park]] *[[Mount Revelstoke National Park]] *[[Pacific Rim National Park Reserve]] *[[Yoho National Park]] BC also contains a large network of provincial parks, run by [http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/ BC Parks] of the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection. In addition to parks, British Columbia also protects approximately 47,000 square kilometers of agricultural land via the [[Agricultural Land Reserve]]. {{see also|List of British Columbia Provincial Parks}} ==Ecoregions== British Columbia's ecosystems are divided on five different levels, each classifying the area on a progressively more detailed basis. At the top level, [http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/ecology/ecoregions/domain.html ecodomains] delineate areas of broad climatic uniformity across the world. The ecodomains are then divided into [http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/ecology/ecoregions/division.html ecodivisions] which delineate areas of broad climatic and physiographic uniformity. Next, the ecodivisions are divided into [http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/ecology/ecoregions/province.html ecoprovinces] which consider climate, oceanography, relief and regional landforms. The ecoprovinces are then divided into [http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/ecology/ecoregions/region.html ecoregions] which consider major physiographic and minor macroclimatic or oceanographic variations. Finally, the ecoregions are divided into [http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/ecology/ecoregions/section.html ecosections] for minor physiographic and macroclimatic or oceanographic variations. Overall, B.C. is divided into 4 large ecodomain areas which are progressively divided down into 114 small ecosections. ===Biogeoclimatic Zones of British Columbia<sup>1</sup>=== *'''Coastal [[Western Hemlock]] Zone''': Wet, mossy, dense [[temperate rain forest]]s of [[Western Hemlock]], [[Thuja plicata|Western Redcedar]], [[Pacific Silver Fir|Pacific Silver (Amabilis) Fir]], [[Callitropsis nootkatensis|Yellow Cedar]], [[Coast Douglas-fir]], [[Grand Fir]], [[Sitka Spruce]], and [[Western White Pine]], [[Bigleaf Maple]], [[Red Alder]], [[sword fern]], [[devil's club]], and red [[huckleberry]] predominate on the west coast of Vancouver Island, the west coast of the mainland north of the [[Fraser River]] delta to north of [[Prince Rupert, British Columbia|Prince Rupert]], farther inland along the [[Fraser Valley|Fraser]] and [[Skeena River|Skeena]] River Valleys, and on the [[Queen Charlotte Islands]]. This zone was the original locus of British Columbia's forest industry; and most of the trees have been harvested at least once. There has been much effort (some successful) to protect the remaining [[old growth forest]] from [[logging]]. *'''[[Coast Douglas-fir]] Zone''': A drier region of temperate rain forest, this is the smallest and most heavily populated [[biome]] of the province. It encompasses the southern and most of the eastern coastal fringe of Vancouver Island, the Fraser River delta, the [[Gulf Islands]], and parts of the [[Sunshine Coast, British Columbia|Sunshine Coast]]. Trees unique to this area include the [[Arbutus]], [[Garry oak]], and [[manzanita]]. *'''[[Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir|Interior Douglas-fir]]&ndash;Montane&ndash;[[Ponderosa Pine]]&ndash;[[Bunchgrass]] Zones''': The dry valleys and plateaus of BC's southern interior, stretching from the lower reaches of the [[Chilcotin]] Plateau, across the southern [[Cariboo]], and south through the [[Okanagan]]. A separate, isolated region exists in the [[Kootenays|East Kootenay]]. This region encompasses the [[Fraser Canyon]], the lower [[Thompson River]], and the [[Nicola River|Nicola]] and [[Similkameen River|Similkameen]] [[drainage basin|watershed]]s. It is characterised by treeless [[bunchgrass]] [[steppes]], [[sagebrush]] scrub, and open forests of [[Ponderosa Pine]], [[Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir]], trembling [[aspen]], [[Lodgepole Pine]], and [[Western Larch]]. Much of the area is used for timber harvesting, [[ranching]], and [[orchard]]-growing. The winters are cold and dry, and the summers are hot and drier. *'''Interior [[Thuja plicata|Redcedar]]-[[Western Hemlock]] Zone''': An interior wetbelt, similar to the Coastal Western Hemlock Zone, is found in the low to middle elevations of the [[Columbia Mountains]] in southeastern British Columbia, west of the [[Rocky Mountains|Rockies]], as well as north in the [[Nass River|Nass]] and [[Skeena River]] drainages. The cool, wet winters and warm, moist summers produce the greatest plant diversity of any zone in the province. [[Western Hemlock]] and [[Thuja plicata|Western Redcedar]] predominate, but [[Grand Fir]], [[Western Larch]], [[White Spruce]], [[Engelmann Spruce]], [[balsam poplar|black cottonwood]], trembling [[aspen]], [[Western White Pine]], and [[Subalpine Fir]] are also common, depending on the elevation. The dense and diverse forests make this zone the second most productive forest zone in British Columbia and Canada. *'''Sub-Boreal ([[Hemiboreal]]) Spruce and Pine-Spruce Zones''': The central interior of the province, consisting of the rolling lake-studded terrain of the [[Cariboo]] — the Fraser and Nechako Plateaus — is characterised by severe, snowy winters and warm, short summers. This is a transitional zone between southern and northern biomes. [[Seral]] species include [[Lodgepole Pine]], [[Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir]], and trembling [[aspen]]; mature species include [[White Spruce|White]] and [[Engelmann Spruce]], and [[Subalpine Fir]]. The moderately dense forests are interrupted in places by [[pond]]s and [[muskeg]]. The generally flat plateaus make this an active area for [[logging]]. *'''[[Boreal]] Zones''': The northern third of the province is dominated by long, cold winters, and short, warm summers. This is a vast, largely unpopulated region, with isolated logging and mining activity. [[White Spruce]], [[Black Spruce]], [[Lodgepole Pine]], trembling [[aspen]], [[Tamarack Larch]], and [[Paper Birch]] predominate among the meadows and muskeg of the [[Peace River (Canada)|Peace]] and [[Liard River|Liard]] Plains. At higher elevations, the winters are harsher, the summers briefer, and [[White Spruce]] and [[Subalpine Fir]] give way to scrub [[willow]] and [[birch]]. *'''Mountain Zones''': At higher elevations (above about 850 m on the southwest coast, less as one goes farther inland and north), the summers are shorter and the winters are colder. Along the coast, the lush, diverse forests give way to more uniform stands of [[Mountain Hemlock]], [[Pacific Silver Fir|Pacific Silver (Amabilis) Fir]], and [[Callitropsis nootkatensis|Yellow Cedar]]. These are interrupted by [[subalpine]] [[heath]]s, [[meadow]]s, and [[fen]]s. In the drier, interior regions, the higher elevations are marked by [[Engelmann Spruce]], [[Subalpine Fir]], [[Subalpine Larch]], and [[Lodgepole Pine]], the trees clumped among meadows and [[grassland]]. <sup>1</sup>: Cameron Young, ''The Forests of British Columbia'' (North Vancouver: Whitecap Books, 1985); R.C. Hosie, ''Native Trees of Canada'', seventh edition (Ottawa: Canadian Forestry Service, 1969) ==Political geography== British Columbia is divided into defined regions for three political purposes. One is for the purpose of providing local government services. This involves municipalities, which are incorporated areas, and regional districts, which are federations of member municipalities and rural areas. Another purpose is for the provision of provincial services. The provincial government has dividing certain services into regional services, such as health authorities and agricultural commissions, which administer specified regions according to their own policies. The province is also divided to provide electoral districts by Elections BC for provincial elections and Elections Canada for federal elections. In addition to these, Indian Reserves have been established throughout the province but are administered by the federal government. ===Local government=== In order to fund community-wide services, such as a sewer system, urban areas incorporate to form municipalities. The vast majority of British Columbians live in these municipalities but there are also large areas of unincorporated rural areas around the municipalities. In 1964 the provincial government created regional districts, through amendments to the Municipal Act, to better coordinate regional issues and provide community services to unincorporated areas. Only one area, the sparsely populated Stikine Region in northwest B.C., is not covered by a regional district. It has a population of 1,352 people but covers an area of 135,391 square kilometers with no municipalities within its borders. All the regional districts and municipalities are members of the [http://www.civicnet.bc.ca/siteengine/ActivePage.asp?PageID=83 Union of British Columbia Municipalities] ====Regional districts==== [[Image:Regional District in British Columbia.jpg|thumb|right|Regional district borders]] {{Main|Regional districts of British Columbia}} British Columbia is carved into 27 regional districts. These regional districts are federations of member municipalities and electoral areas. The unincorporated area of the regional district is carved into electoral areas. Each electoral area elects one director who sits on the Regional Board and the Electoral Area Directors Committee. The [http://www.islandstrust.bc.ca/ Islands Trust] acts similar to a regional district for several unincorporated islands between the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. The regional districts are used to provide local government services (e.g. building inspection) to unincorporated areas, sub-regional services (e.g. street bridge over a border) between two or more members, and regional services (e.g. funding the regional hospital district) required for the entire area. Also, as a collection of municipalities they are able to borrow funds for capital projects at lower interest rates. ====Municipalities==== There are 153 [http://www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca/lgd/infra/munfin/ms2000/sch0001.html municipalities] in British Columbia. They are divided into cities, districts, towns and villages, according to their population at the time of their [http://www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca/lgd/gov_structure/incorporation_guide.pdf incorporation]. There are also three other municipalities that were incorporated for special purposes. These are the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Sechelt Indian Government District, and Bowen Island Municipality. With the exception of the City of Vancouver all municipalities attain their legislative powers from the [http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/stat/L/96323_00.htm Local Government Act] (formerly the Municipal Act), which is being replaced, in phases, by the [http://www.legis.gov.bc.ca/37th4th/3rd_read/gov14-3-toc.htm Community Charter.] Vancouver obtains its legislative authority from the [[Vancouver Charter]]. ===Provincial politics=== [[Image:Bc2005.PNG|thumb|100px|2005 general election, popular vote by electoral districts]] For representation in the [[Legislative Assembly of British Columbia|Legislative Assembly]] B.C. is carved into 79 electoral districts. Each one of these ridings elects one candidate to become its [[Member of the Legislative Assembly]] (MLA) in a [[first past the post]] race contained within the electoral district. In the [[British Columbia general election, 2005|last general election]], in May 2005, three political parties, the [[British Columbia Liberal Party]], [[New Democratic Party of British Columbia]] and the [[Green Party of British Columbia]] all ran one candidate in each electoral district while 22 other minor parties, as well as 23 independents, ran at least one candidate in an electoral district. However, the results produced a two party system wherein the two major parties, the right-wing B.C. Liberal Party and the left-wing New Democratic Party of B.C., won all the electoral districts. The B.C. Liberals have dominated provincial politics since 2001 when they won. [[British Columbia general election, 2001|77 of 79 seats.The B.C. New Democraic Party still won the other two ridings left.]] The right-wing predecessor of the B.C. Liberal Party, the [[British Columbia Social Credit Party|B.C. Social Credit Party]], dominated provincial politics for much of the latter part of the twentieth century. The right-wing parties draw their support from the Lower Mainland suburbs (like Langley, Abbotsford, etc.), Kelowna, Kamloops, and northeastern B.C. The New Democratic Party has traditionally drawn its support from more urbanized areas such as Vancouver and Victoria, as well as northwestern B.C, and the mining towns of the Kootenays and key areas of Vancouver Island. Swing areas include the B.C. Interior, certain urban areas within the Lower Mainland (like Surrey) and certain rural areas (like in southeastern B.C.) ==External links== *[http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/treebook/biogeo/biogeo.htm Biogeoclimatic Zones of British Columbia] *[http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/Srs/SRseries.htm Ecosystems of British Columbia] *[http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parks/a.htm List of parks] *[http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/land/landcover Land Cover] *[http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/maps/reference/provincesterritoriesrelief/bc_relief/referencemap_image_view Relief Map of British Columbia] *[http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/ecology/ecoregions/index.html Ecoregions of British Columbia] *[http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/ecology/ecoregions/intro.html Ecoregion Classification Background] *[http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/ British Columbia: BCStats] ==References== {{Reflist}} {{BritishColumbia}} {{Canada Geography}} [[Category:Geography of British Columbia|*]] [[fr:Géographie de la Colombie-Britannique]] [[it:Geografia della Columbia Britannica]] [[zh:卑斯省地理]]