Uploaded April 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
British Columbia (BC) is the westernmost province in Canada, located between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. With an estimated population of 5.1 million as of 2020, it is Canada's third-most populous province.
The capital of British Columbia is Victoria, the fifteenth-largest metropolitan region in Canada, named for Queen Victoria, who ruled during the creation of the original colonies. The largest city is Vancouver, the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada, the largest in Western Canada, and the second-largest in the Pacific Northwest.
In October 2013, British Columbia had an estimated population of 4,606,371 (about 2.5 million of whom were in Greater Vancouver). The province is currently governed by the British Columbia New Democratic Party, led by John Horgan, in a minority government with the confidence and supply of the Green Party of British Columbia. Horgan became premier as a result of a no-confidence motion on June 29, 2017.
The first British settlement in the area was Fort Victoria, established in 1843, which gave rise to the City of Victoria, at first the capital of the separate Colony of Vancouver Island.
In 1866, Vancouver Island became part of the colony of British Columbia, and Victoria became the united colony's capital. In 1871, British Columbia became the sixth province of Canada.
Capital Victoria
Largest city Vancouver
Largest metro Metro Vancouver
Government
• Type Constitutional monarchy
• Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin
• Premier John Horgan (NDP)
Legislature Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Federal representation Canadian Parliament
House seats 42 of 338 (12.4%)
Senate seats 6 of 105 (5.7%)
Area
• Total 944,735 km2 (364,764 sq mi)
• Land 925,186 km2 (357,216 sq mi)
• Water 19,548.9 km2 (7,547.9 sq mi) 2.1%
Area rank Ranked 5th
9.5% of Canada
Population (2016)
• Total 4,648,055
• Estimate (2020 Q1) 5,110,917
• Rank Ranked 3rd
• Density 5.02/km2 (13.0/sq mi)
Demonym(s) British Columbian
Official languages None
GDP
• Rank 4th
• Total CA$$249.981 billion
• Per capita CA$53,267
Time zone Pacific (most of province) UTC −8/−7
Mountain (far eastern) UTC −7/−6
Postal abbr. BC
Postal code prefix V
ISO 3166 code CA-BC
Flower Pacific dogwood
Tree Western red cedar
Bird Steller's jay
British Columbia (BC) is the westernmost province in Canada, located between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. With an estimated population of 5.1 million as of 2020, it is Canada's third-most populous province.
The capital of British Columbia is Victoria, the fifteenth-largest metropolitan region in Canada, named for Queen Victoria, who ruled during the creation of the original colonies. The largest city is Vancouver, the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada, the largest in Western Canada, and the second-largest in the Pacific Northwest.
In October 2013, British Columbia had an estimated population of 4,606,371 (about 2.5 million of whom were in Greater Vancouver). The province is currently governed by the British Columbia New Democratic Party, led by John Horgan, in a minority government with the confidence and supply of the Green Party of British Columbia. Horgan became premier as a result of a no-confidence motion on June 29, 2017.
The first British settlement in the area was Fort Victoria, established in 1843, which gave rise to the City of Victoria, at first the capital of the separate Colony of Vancouver Island.
In 1866, Vancouver Island became part of the colony of British Columbia, and Victoria became the united colony's capital. In 1871, British Columbia became the sixth province of Canada.
Capital Victoria
Largest city Vancouver
Largest metro Metro Vancouver
Government
• Type Constitutional monarchy
• Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin
• Premier John Horgan (NDP)
Legislature Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Federal representation Canadian Parliament
House seats 42 of 338 (12.4%)
Senate seats 6 of 105 (5.7%)
Area
• Total 944,735 km2 (364,764 sq mi)
• Land 925,186 km2 (357,216 sq mi)
• Water 19,548.9 km2 (7,547.9 sq mi) 2.1%
Area rank Ranked 5th
9.5% of Canada
Population (2016)
• Total 4,648,055
• Estimate (2020 Q1) 5,110,917
• Rank Ranked 3rd
• Density 5.02/km2 (13.0/sq mi)
Demonym(s) British Columbian
Official languages None
GDP
• Rank 4th
• Total CA$$249.981 billion
• Per capita CA$53,267
Time zone Pacific (most of province) UTC −8/−7
Mountain (far eastern) UTC −7/−6
Postal abbr. BC
Postal code prefix V
ISO 3166 code CA-BC
Flower Pacific dogwood
Tree Western red cedar
Bird Steller's jay
