With a population of approximately 2 million or
about half the population of the entire province the city of Vancouver is
located in the southwest corner of British Columbia the westernmost of
Canada's ten provinces. The City's mean temperature is 49.8ºF. Daytime
temperatures average 70ºF. in summer and 35ºF in winter. The average annual
precipitation of 45.9 inches translates into lots of green throughout the
City and excellent skiing on the Coast Mountains. Spring comes early, with
flowers generally in full bloom by early March. Late summer and autumn
days-through October-tend to be warm and sunny.
Vancouver is one of the great cities of the western world. It is surrounded
by water on three sides and overlooked by the Coast Range. From downtown you
can see the blue Pacific, glacial fjords, steep mountains- snow capped in
winter, others covered in dense rain forest growth. With this spectacular
setting, vibrant mix of races, rich cultural activities, there is a lot to
see and do.
Vancouver is a major tourist destination. The downtown is in walking
distance to Canada Place, the main cruise dock and the world famous Stanley
Park. there are more than 180 city parks, and a combination of natural
forest and parklands near the city center. Walking is the preferred method
of transportation in downtown and many sites can be reached without the need
for a car. Alternate transportation is available.
Archaeological evidence shows that coastal Indians had settled the
Vancouver area by 500 B.C. British naval captain George Vancouver explored
the area in 1792. Vancouver was founded as a sawmill settlement called
Granville in the 1870s. The city was incorporated in 1886 and renamed after
Captain Vancouver.
Vancouver is a major port, as the main western terminus of Canada's
transcontinental highway and rail routes, it is the primary city of western
Canada, as well as one of the nation's largest industrial centers. The
Fraser River has barge and log traffic serving forestry and other water
related industries. Around 1,800 acres of industrial land provide an
important range of support services, manufacturing and wholesale premises
for businesses throughout the city and region.
Vancouver Ranks 1st in North America, 2nd
Overall for Quality of Life
Vancouver is North America's top-rated city for quality of life, according
to the annual survey by William M. Mercer. We rank just behind Zurich and
are tied with Vienna as one of the top livable cities in the world, based on
an evaluation of 39 key quality of life factors, such as political and
social environment, public services and natural environment. Vancouver is
the only North American city to rank in the top 10; the second-ranked North
American city is Toronto, tied in 18th place with Luxembourg, San Francisco,
US and Perth, Australia.
|
