Vancouver Island History
The first European to sight Vancouver island was Juan Perez in 1774, and the British navigator James Cook was the first to land on the island in 1778. Vancouver Island was named after George Vancouver, a midshipman on Cook's last expedition. Vancouver returned in 1792 to participate in formalities involving Nootka Sound and sailed through the Juan de Fuca Strait and around Vancouver Island.
Vancouver Island Climate & Tourism
Known as the Hawaii of the North, Vancouver Island has the mildest climate in Canada. Off shore the Japan Current has a dramatic effect on the temperatures of the island, particularly on the Pacific Rim (west coast of Vancouver island). With climates ranging from moderate and warm on the southern tip to the temperate rainforests of the western coastal and northern regions of Vancouver island. Although there is heavy snowfalls in the higher elevations, the coastal areas are essentially green year round, producing lush green forests of fir, hemlock, cedar and many types of berries, as well as providing a home for a wide variety of animal life.
Logging and commercial fishing have given way to tourism and sport fishing as the leading industries on Vancouver island. People gather from all parts of the world to experience the breath taking sights and smells of the old growth forest, the captivation of the mountain scenery and to catch sight of the incredible grey whale or chase down the elusive "tyee" salmon. Vancouver Island brings out the youth in all of us along its miles of beaches.
Vancouver Island Travel
Recently rated by the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine as the World’s Best Island in Continental - United States/Canada and the third best worldwide, and voted #1 Island in North America by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler Magazine, Vancouver Island truly has something for everyone:
- Vancouver Island - Victoria & the Gulf Islands have endless stretches of beach to play on vast tracts of untouched wilderness and lush, green parks to explore.
- There are more than 50 scenic golf courses on Vancouver Island and most are open all year!
- Choose from scuba diving to mountain climbing, wilderness hiking to ocean kayaking, caving to fossil digging.
- the fishing, both fresh and salt water, is superb.
Vancouver Island Population and Size
Vancouver Island is the largest island on the Pacific North Coast and home to Victoria, the Capital of British Columbia. The island extends for 459 km. (285 miles) along the south western coast of British Columbia and varies in width from 64 km. (40 miles) to 97 km. (58 miles) covering and area of 31,284 sq. km. (12,079 sq. miles).
The largest island off the Pacific Coast of continental North America, Vancouver Island is the 10th largest island in Canada, and one of 6,000 islands in British Columbia. For our American visitors, it is nine times larger than Long Island, New York; and for our overseas visitors Vancouver Island is larger than many European and Asian countries. On a map it looks like a miniature version of British Columbia, and a moderate size - Vancouver Island at its narrowest is 64 kilometres (39 miles) and 97 kilometres (58 miles) at its widest. Total population of the the Vancouver Island Region is 726,367 (700,593 for Vancouver Island, 18,926 for the Southern Gulf Islands, and 6,848 for the Northern Gulf Islands).
Getting to Vancouver Island
All communities on Vancouver island are accessible by either land, air, or water; in many cases two or more of these choices. With nearly 10,000 kilometres (6,000 miles) of public road, just over 8,000 kilometres (4,800 miles) are paved; there are nearly 400 kilometres (240 miles) of railway in use – with the bulk of the rail winding its way along some of the most scenic routes on the Island, and there is a regular scheduled train year round. Several communities have airports, or air fields, and in some cases, float plane docks. BC Ferries operates 47 ports of call throughout the Island and Gulf Islands on scheduled runs.
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