Regions of British Columbia

Use this map to learn about regions in British Columbia.

Quick Overview of British Columbia

This section will give you a look at each of British Columbia’s eight regions:

Detailed Regions of B.C.

1. Vancouver Island & Coast / Victoria

   This region is made up of Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the south coast of the province. Most of the population lives on Vancouver Island, with 350,000 in Victoria – B.C.'s capital city. The climate is generally mild and wet in winter.

2. Vancouver and Metropolitan Area

   Vancouver and the metropolitan area are the most populated parts of B. C. More than two million people live in the southwest corner of B.C. – half the population of the province. Because of its location on the coast, it has the mildest climate in Canada.

3. Thompson-Okanagan

   The Thompson-Okanagan region is in south-central B.C., just north of the United States border. It is known for its orchards and vineyards and the Okanagan Valley, one of B.C.'s key agricultural zones.

4. Kootenay

   The Kootenay region is in the very southeast corner of the province, along the Alberta and United States borders. Forestry is still a key industry in the Kootenay region. Its largest communities are Cranbrook in the east, and Trail, Castlegar and Nelson in the west.

5. Cariboo

   The Cariboo is high plateau country, spectacularly beautiful with rolling plains and mountain peaks. While summers are long and dry, the winters can be cold and harsh. Cattle and forestry are the biggest industries. Williams Lake is the largest community in the Cariboo region.

6. North Coast

   The north coast region is remote and isolated. The largest communities are Prince Rupert on the coast, Queen Charlotte City on the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii), and Terrace, 140 kilometres inland on the Skeena River. The north coast was important in British Columbia's two founding industries: fishing and forestry. In 1992, the Nisga'a First Nations people signed the first modern-day treaty with the governments of Canada and British Columbia, making the Nass River Valley formal Nisga'a territory.

7. Nechako

   The Nechako region, in north central British Columbia, is built on forestry, agriculture, mining, and tourism industries. Many residents and tourists are drawn by its good fishing, hiking, cycling, cross country skiing and camping. The largest communities in the Nechako are Vanderhoof and Fort St. James.

8. Northeast

   The northeast region of B.C. has a very active economy these days due to oil and gas exploration. Fort St. John is the largest community in the northeast.