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{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2009}}

{{Country geography
| name = British Columbia
|map =BC-relief.png
|continent =North America
|region =[[Western Canada]]|
coordinates ={{Coord|49|00|N|114|04|W|region:CA}} --<br />{{Coord|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]]: United States: [[Alaska]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], [[Idaho]], [[Montana]]; Canadian provinces [[Alberta]], [[Yukon]], [[Northwest Territories]]
|highest point= [[Mount Fairweather]]<br />{{convert|4,663|m|abbr=on}}
|lowest point= [[Pacific Ocean]]<br />sea level
|longest river=[[Fraser River]]<br />{{convert|1,368|km|abbr=on}}
|largest lake=[[Williston Lake]]<br /> {{convert|1,761|km2|abbr=on}}
}}
[[British Columbia]] is the westernmost province of [[Canada]], bordered by the [[Pacific Ocean]]. With an area of {{convert|944,735|km2|abbr=on}} it is [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Canada's third-largest province]]. The province is almost four times the size of the United Kingdom and larger than every [[States of the United States|United States state]] except [[Alaska]]. It is bounded 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 (state)|Washington]], [[Idaho]], and [[Montana]]. Formerly part of the [[British Empire]], 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]], located on the southwestern tip of the mainland, which is known as the [[Lower Mainland]]. It is the most mountainous province of Canada.

==Statistics==
{{See also|Demographics of British Columbia}}
* Total area: {{convert|944,735|km|abbr=on}}
* Land area: {{convert|925,186|km|abbr=on}}
* Water area: {{convert|19,549|km|abbr=on}} (2.1%)

==Physical geography==
{{Main|List of physiogeographic regions of British Columbia|List of regions of Canada#British Columbia|List of regions of British Columbia}}
British Columbia is customarily divided into three main regions, the [[British Columbia Interior|Interior]], the [[British Columbia Coast|Coast]] and the [[Lower Mainland]] (though the last-named is technically part of the Coast).  These are broken up by a loose and often overlapping system of cultural-geographic regions, often based on river basins but sometimes spanning them.  Examples of the former would be the [[Kootenays]], the [[Okanagan]], and the [[Chilcotin District|Chilcotin]], while of the latter would be the [[Lillooet Country]] and [[Cariboo]].  Important subareas of these include the [[Fraser Valley]], part of the Lower Mainland, the [[Fraser Canyon]] (which overlaps with various regions) and the [[Robson Valley]], which is the uppermost basin of the Fraser River southeast of Prince George.  Vancouver Island is seen as its own region within the Coast, as are the [[Haida Gwaii]] (Queen Charlotte Islands) and the [[Gulf Islands]].

===Terrain===
[[File:Tantalus Range.jpg|thumb|Sky Pilot Group (L), [[Tantalus Range]] (R), part of the [[Coast Mountains]] as seen from the [[Cheakamus River|Cheakamus Canyon]]]]
<!--relevance of the following dubious; reads like a travel brochure, and needs revision and should be more about terrain, not tourist brochure material-->
The [[Canadian Rockies]], [[Coast Mountains]] and [[Inside Passage]] 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 city of [[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]]. Nearly all of the [[British Columbia Coast|Coast]] including much of [[Vancouver Island]] is covered by a temperate [[rain forest]]. One-third of the province consists of barren [[alpine tundra]], [[icefield]]s, and [[glacier]]s.

==== Mountains and mountain ranges ====
The landforms of British Columbia include two major continental landforms, the [[Interior Plains]] in the province's northeast, the British Columbia portion of which is part of the [[Alberta Plateau]].  The rest of the province is part of the [[Western Cordillera (North America)|Western Cordillera of North America]], often referred to in Canada as the Pacific Cordillera or Canadian Cordillera.  The Cordillera is subdivided into four main "systems" (which are distinct from the corresponding region's [[geologic provinces]]):<ref>''Landforms of British Columbia'', S. Holland, BC Government Bulletin No. 48f</ref>

===== Eastern System =====

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]] system in the south, and the [[Hart Ranges]] & [[Muskwa Ranges]] of the [[Northern Rocky Mountains]] to the north 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.

===== Interior System =====
The Interior System comprises the [[Interior Plateau]] and [[Interior Mountains]] (aka the Northern Interior Mountains) and the southern part of the [[Yukon Plateau]].  The major subdivisions of the Interior Mountains are the [[Cassiar Mountains]], [[Omineca Mountains]], [[Stikine Plateau]], [[Skeena Mountains]] and [[Hazelton Mountains]].  Each has a variety of subranges and some definitions include the [[Tahltan Highland]] and [[Tagish Highland]] which may also be assigned to the [[Boundary Ranges]] of the [[Coast Mountains]] (see next).  The major subdivisions of the [[Interior Plateau]] are the [[Nechako Plateau]], the [[McGregor Plateau]], the [[Fraser Plateau]] (which includes the [[Chilcotin Plateau]] and [[Cariboo Plateau]] and a number of small mountain ranges) and the [[Thompson Plateau]].  The [[Quesnel Highland|Quesnel]], [[Shuswap Highland|Shuswap]] and [[Okanagan Highland]]s which flank the plateau to the east are sometimes seen as part of it, but are officially part of the [[Columbia Mountains]] range-system and are seen as subranges of the adjoining ranges, namely the [[Cariboo Mountains]] and [[Monashee Mountains]].

===== Western System =====

The Western System comprises the [[Coast Mountains]], the [[North Cascades|Canadian portion of the Cascade Mountains]] (known in the US as the Cascade Range), the southeasternmost [[Saint Elias Mountains]] and the [[Coastal Trough]], which includes the [[Georgia Depression]] and its subunit the [[Fraser Lowland]] and other low-lying coastal areas.

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 temperate-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 [[Mount Fairweather|Fairweather Mountain]] in the [[Fairweather Range]] of 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?)
-->

===== Insular System =====
The Insular System comprises the [[Insular Mountains]], which include the [[Vancouver Island Ranges]] and [[Queen Charlotte Mountains]] as well as the [[Nanaimo Lowland]], [[Nahwitti Lowland]] and [[Hecate Depression]].

==== Geology and orogeny ====
{{main|Geology of British Columbia}}
The younger ranges of the Canadian Rockies were uplifted during the late [[Cretaceous period]] (145 million-66 million years ago) and are a relatively new, tall and uneroded mountain range.<ref name=usgs_rm>{{cite web |url=http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/SNT/noframe/wm146.htm |title=Rocky Mountains|access-date=February 6, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070714142008/http://biology.usgs.gov/s%2Bt/SNT/noframe/wm146.htm |archive-date=July 14, 2007 }}, {{cite web |url=http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/natmap/cf/intro_e.php |title=Central Foreland NATMAP Project Introduction |access-date=2006-01-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060404185911/http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/natmap/cf/intro_e.php |archive-date=2006-04-04 }}</ref> <!--section on "belts" and details of Coast Mountains, Interior Plateau, etc., formation needed-->

During the last glaciation of the current [[ice age]], all of British Columbia was covered by ice (except [[Haida Gwaii]] and [[Brooks Peninsula]]).<!--subglacial volcanic formations including Interior Plateau etc could be addressed here-->

<div class="center">
{| class="wikitable"
<caption>British Columbia's principal mountains by range and height</caption>
|-
!Mountain
!Height (m)
!Mountain
!Height (m)
|- style="background:#ffebad;"
| colspan="2"|Saint Elias Mountains
| 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
|-
| style="background:#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
| style="background:#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
| style="background:#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 (British Columbia)|Monarch Mountain]]
|style="text-align: center" | 3,459
| style="background:#ffebad;" colspan="2"|Purcell Mountains
|-
| style="background:#ffebad;" colspan="2"|Rocky Mountains
|[[Mount Farnham]]
|style="text-align: center" | 3,481
|-
|[[Mount Robson]]
|style="text-align: center" | 3,954
| style="background:#ffebad;" colspan="2"|Monashee Mountains<ref>{{cite peakbagger |rid=1313 |name=Monashee Mountains|access-date=2021-03-12}}</ref>
|-
|[[Mount Columbia (Canada)|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
|}
''Source [http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/phys03-eng.htm Statistics Canada]''
</div>

====Volcanoes====
{{Main|Volcanism of Canada}}
[[File:Mount Edziza, British Columbia.jpg|thumb|[[Mount Edziza]], a large [[shield volcano]] in northwestern British Columbia]]
[[File:MountMeagerPlinthCapricorn.jpg|thumb|The [[Mount Meager massif]] as seen from the east near Pemberton, BC. Summits left to right are [[Capricorn Mountain]], [[Mount Meager (British Columbia)|Mount Meager]], and [[Plinth Peak]]]]

Although little-known to the general public, British Columbia is home to a huge area of [[volcano]]es and volcanic activity in the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]].<ref>[http://www.skimountaineer.com/ROF/Region.php?region=AlaskaCanada Skiing the Pacific Ring of Fire and Beyond: Alaska & Northwest Canada<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> 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,<ref name=":0" /> 49 of which have erupted in the past 10,000 years<ref name=":0">{{cite journal | title=The Vulnerability of Canada to Volcanic Hazards |url=https://doi.org/10.1023%2FA%3A1022954829974 | doi=10.1023/A:1022954829974 | year=2003 | last1=Stasiuk | first1=Mark V. | last2=Hickson | first2=Catherine J. | last3=Mulder | first3=Taimi | journal=Natural Hazards | volume=28 | issue=2/3 | pages=563–589 |bibcode=2003NatHa..28..563S | s2cid=129461798 | url-access=subscription }}</ref> 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 massif]], [[Wells Gray-Clearwater volcanic field]], [[Mount Garibaldi]], [[Mount Cayley]], [[Castle Rock (volcano)|Castle Rock]], [[The Volcano (British Columbia)|The Volcano]], [[Mount Edziza]], [[Hoodoo Mountain]] and [[Crow Lagoon]].<ref>[http://www.bcminerals.ca/pdf/CanadianVolcanoes-CH2005.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070810085815/http://www.bcminerals.ca/pdf/CanadianVolcanoes-CH2005.pdf|date=August 10, 2007}}</ref> 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 the Mount Meager massif. It produced an [[eruption column|ash column]] at least 20&nbsp;km high into the [[stratosphere]] and [[dam]]med the [[Lillooet River]] with [[breccia]].

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, containing 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]], [[Fracture|cracking]], [[rift]]ing and the interaction between the [[Pacific Plate|Pacific]] and the [[North American Plate|North American]] plates.

The [[Chilcotin Group]] 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 individual 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]] thinning. The last eruption in the field was at [[Kostal Cone]] in 1500. Volcanism within the field has also created the {{convert|465|ft|adj=on|order=flip}}-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.

===Water===
[[File:Tagish Lake.jpg|thumb|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.]]
[[File:Canada BC lakes map.png|thumb|Lakes of British Columbia. [[Media:Canada BC lakes map.png|See actual size]].]]
[[File:OkanaganLake1.jpg|thumb|View of [[Okanagan Lake]].]]
[[File:Lago Bernard, Columbia Británica, Canadá, 2017-08-26, DD 67.jpg|thumb|Lake Bernard.]]
[[File:Lago Tutshi, Columbia Británica, Canadá, 2017-08-26, DD 80.jpg|thumb|Lake Tutshi.]]
The [[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 northern B.C. the [[Stikine River|Stikine]], [[Nass River|Nass]] and [[Skeena River]]s 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, and pulp and paper and lumber mills are common throughout the province. 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=British Columbia |publisher=MSN Encarta |url=http://uk.encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761574576/British_Columbia.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080120152932/http://uk.encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761574576/British_Columbia.html |archive-date=2008-01-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Long, narrow lakes are found throughout the valleys of the [[British Columbia Interior|Southern and Central Interior]]. Among these are [[Atlin Lake|Atlin]], [[Kootenay Lake|Kootenay]], [[Okanagan Lake|Okanagan]], [[Quesnel Lake|Quesnel]], and [[Shuswap Lake]]s. 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 body of freshwater.

<div class="center">
{| class="wikitable"
<caption>British Columbia's principal rivers and their tributaries</caption>
|-
!River
!Drainage area (km<sup>2</sup>)
!Length (km)
!Discharge (m^3/s)
|-
| style="background:#ffebad;"|Columbia (mouth to head of Columbia Lake)
| style="background:#ffebad;"|668,000
|  style="background:#ffebad; text-align:right;"|2,000
|  style="background:#ffebad; text-align:right;"|7,500

|-
|style="text-indent: 1em;" |(International boundary to head of Columbia Lake)
|style="text-align: right" |102,800
|style="text-align: right" |801
|style="text-align: right" |2,800
|-
|style="text-indent: 1em;" |Kootenay
|style="text-align: right" |37,700
|style="text-align: right" |780
|style="text-align: right" |782
|-
|style="text-indent: 1em;" |Kettle (to head of Holmes Lake)
|style="text-align: right" |4,700
|style="text-align: right" |336
|style="text-align: right" |82.2
|-
|style="text-indent: 1em;" |Okanagan (to head of Okanagan Lake)
|style="text-align: right" |21,600
|style="text-align: right" |314
|style="text-align: right" |18.3
|- style="background:#ffebad;"
||Fraser
|  style="text-align:right;"|232,300
|  style="text-align:right;"|1,370
|  style="text-align:right;"|3,340
|-
|style="text-indent: 1em;" |Thompson (to head of North Thompson)
|style="text-align: right" |55,400
|style="text-align: right" |489
|style="text-align: right" |772
|-
|style="text-indent: 1em;" |North Thompson
|style="text-align: right" |20,700
|style="text-align: right" |338
|style="text-align: right" |427
|-
|style="text-indent: 1em;" |South Thompson (to head of Shuswap)
|style="text-align: right" |17,800
|style="text-align: right" |332
|style="text-align: right" |292
|-
|style="text-indent: 1em;" |Nechako (to head of Eutsuk Lake)
|style="text-align: right" |47,100
|style="text-align: right" |462
|style="text-align: right" |277
|-
|style="text-indent: 1em;" |Stuart (to head of Driftwood)
|style="text-align: right" |16,200
|style="text-align: right" |415
|style="text-align: right" |131
|- style="background:#ffebad;"
||Skeena
|  style="text-align:right;"|54,400
|  style="text-align:right;"|579
|  style="text-align:right;"|911
|- style="background:#ffebad;"
||Stikine
|  style="text-align:right;"|49,800
|  style="text-align:right;"|539
|  style="text-align:right;"|1,580
|- style="background:#ffebad;"
||Nass
|  style="text-align:right;"|21,100
|  style="text-align:right;"|380
|  style="text-align:right;"|780
|- style="background:#ffebad;"
||Peace (to head of Finlay)
|  style="text-align:right;"|302,500
|  style="text-align:right;"|1,923
|  style="text-align:right;"|1,540
|}

''Source [https://web.archive.org/web/20080121214641/http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/phys06.htm?sdi=river Statistics Canada]''
''Source [https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20101224123010/http://www.wsc.ec.gc.ca/applications/H2O/HydromatD-eng.cfm Environment Canada]''

{| class="sortable wikitable"
<caption>British Columbia's principal lakes with relevant information</caption>
|-
!Lake
!Area(km<sup>2</sup>)
!Altitude (m)
!Depth(m)
!Volume(km<sup>3</sup>)
|-
|Williston
|style="text-align: right" |1,761
|style="text-align: right" |671
|style="text-align: right" |166
|style="text-align: right" |70.3
|-
|Atlin (including Yukon portion)
|style="text-align: right" |775
|style="text-align: right" |668
|style="text-align: right" |283
|style="text-align: right" |54.0
|-
|Sproat
|style="text-align: right" |546
|style="text-align: right" |29
|style="text-align: right" |195
|style="text-align: right" |23.0
|-
|Kinbasket
|style="text-align: right" |529
|style="text-align: right" |754
|style="text-align: right" |240
|style="text-align: right" |-
|-
|Babine
|style="text-align: right" |495
|style="text-align: right" |711
|style="text-align: right" |180
|style="text-align: right" |37
|-
|Kootenay
|style="text-align: right" |389
|style="text-align: right" |530
|style="text-align: right" |154
|style="text-align: right" |36.7
|-
|Ootsa
|style="text-align: right" |404
|style="text-align: right" |855
|style="text-align: right" |-
|style="text-align: right" |-
|-
|Stuart
|style="text-align: right" |358
|style="text-align: right" |680
|style="text-align: right" |95
|style="text-align: right" |09.6
|-
|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
|-
|Upper Arrow
|style="text-align: right" |301
|style="text-align: right" |-
|style="text-align: right" |-
|style="text-align: right" |-
|-
|Eutsuk
|style="text-align: right" |267
|style="text-align: right" |-
|style="text-align: right" |305
|style="text-align: right" |28.5
|-
|Quesnel
|style="text-align: right" |266
|style="text-align: right" |729
|style="text-align: right" |600
|style="text-align: right" |41.8
|-
|Takla
|style="text-align: right" |265
|style="text-align: right" |791
|style="text-align: right" |287
|style="text-align: right" |28.4
|-
|Francois
|style="text-align: right" |258
|style="text-align: right" |715
|style="text-align: right" |244
|style="text-align: right" |23.1
|-
|Harrison
|style="text-align: right" |218
|style="text-align: right" |10
|style="text-align: right" |279
|style="text-align: right" |33
|-
|Chilko
|style="text-align: right" |180
|style="text-align: right" |1172
|style="text-align: right" |366
|style="text-align: right" |21.2
|-
|Adams
|style="text-align: right" |137
|style="text-align: right" |404
|style="text-align: right" |464
|style="text-align: right" |23.2
|-
|Murtle
|style="text-align: right" |76.3
|style="text-align: right" |1067
|style="text-align: right" |333
|style="text-align: right" |08.2
|-
|Slocan
|style="text-align: right" |69.3
|style="text-align: right" |535
|style="text-align: right" |298
|style="text-align: right" |11.9
|-
|Kennedy
|style="text-align: right" |69.2
|style="text-align: right" |4
|style="text-align: right" |-
|style="text-align: right" |-
|-
|Charlotte
|style="text-align: right" |66
|style="text-align: right" |1175
|style="text-align: right" |101
|style="text-align: right" |02.7
|-
|Mabel
|style="text-align: right" |60
|style="text-align: right" |396
|style="text-align: right" |192
|style="text-align: right" |06.8
|-
|Stave
|style="text-align: right" |59
|style="text-align: right" |81
|style="text-align: right" |101
|style="text-align: right" |02.0
|-
|Pitt
|style="text-align: right" |58
|style="text-align: right" |0
|style="text-align: right" |142.6
|style="text-align: right" |02.4
|-
|Horsefly
|style="text-align: right" |57
|style="text-align: right" |783
|style="text-align: right" |191
|style="text-align: right" |03.9
|-
|Canim
|style="text-align: right" |56
|style="text-align: right" |772
|style="text-align: right" |209
|style="text-align: right" |07.2
|-
|Bowser
|style="text-align: right" |55.7
|style="text-align: right" |368
|style="text-align: right" |119
|style="text-align: right" |-
|-
|Tahtsa
|style="text-align: right" |53
|style="text-align: right" |852
|style="text-align: right" |218
|style="text-align: right" |03.3
|-
|Kamloops
|style="text-align: right" |52
|style="text-align: right" |335
|style="text-align: right" |152
|style="text-align: right" |03.7
|-
|Great Central
|style="text-align: right" |50.85
|style="text-align: right" |82
|style="text-align: right" |250
|style="text-align: right" |06.3
|-
|Carpenter
|style="text-align: right" |50
|style="text-align: right" |-
|style="text-align: right" |-
|style="text-align: right" |-
|-
|Nation
|style="text-align: right" |47
|style="text-align: right" |1081
|style="text-align: right" |78
|style="text-align: right" |01.2
|-
|Tatlayoko
|style="text-align: right" |40
|style="text-align: right" |827
|style="text-align: right" |210
|style="text-align: right" |04.3
|-
|Meziadan
|style="text-align: right" |37.3
|style="text-align: right" |305
|style="text-align: right" |133
|style="text-align: right" |02.2
|-
|Inzana
|style="text-align: right" |36.6
|style="text-align: right" |880
|style="text-align: right" |95.4
|style="text-align: right" |01.3
|}
''Sources [https://web.archive.org/web/20080121220255/http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/phys05.htm?sdi=lakes Statistics Canada], [https://web.archive.org/web/20050215192501/http://www.ilec.or.jp/database/map/area/wname.html WLD], [https://web.archive.org/web/20060224070118/http://anglersatlas.com/freemaps/bc/bclist.php anglersatlas.com]''
</div>

{{See also|List of rivers of British Columbia (alphabetical)}}

==Climate==
[[File:British Columbia Köppen.svg|thumb|[[Köppen climate classification|Köppen climate types]] in British Columbia]]
[[File:Strait of Georgia.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Strait of Georgia]], near [[Vancouver]]]]
Because of the many mountain ranges and rugged coastline, British Columbia's climate varies dramatically across the province.

Coastal southern British Columbia has a mild, rainy oceanic climate, influenced by the [[North Pacific Current]], which has its origins in the [[Kuroshio Current]]. [[Hucuktlis Lake]] on [[Vancouver Island]] receives an average of {{cvt|6,903|mm}} of rain annually, and some parts of the area are even classified as warm-summer [[Mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]], some of the northernmost occurrences in the world. In [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]], the annual average temperature is {{cvt|11.2|C}}, the warmest in Canada.<ref name="University of Victoria">{{cite web| publisher = [[Environment Canada]]| work = Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010| url = ftp://ftp.tor.ec.gc.ca/Pub/Normals/English/BC/BC_SIMI-WOOD_ENG.csv| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200713164218/ftp://ftp.tor.ec.gc.ca/Pub/Normals/English/BC/BC_SIMI-WOOD_ENG.csv| archive-date = 2020-07-13| url-status = dead| title = University of Victoria| access-date = 29 May 2016}}</ref>

Due to the blocking presence of successive mountain ranges, the climate of some of the interior valleys of the province is semi-arid with certain locations receiving less than {{convert|300|mm|abbr=on}} in annual precipitation.<ref name="Spences Bridge">{{cite web|url= http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?searchType=stnName&txtStationName=spences+bridge&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=1331&dispBack=1|title=Calculation Information for 1981 to 2010 Canadian Normals Data|date=25 September 2013 |publisher= Environment Canada|access-date=31 July 2016 }}</ref>

=== South Coast ===
The climate of the coast of British Columbia is generally oceanic (''Cfb''). The winters are very cloudy, cool, and extremely rainy, although generally above freezing, and the summers are cool and comparatively drier with temperatures generally between {{cvt|16|and|24|C}}. Precipitation is generally around {{cvt|3000|mm}}, falling on around 200 days. Coastal fog develops on many days, especially in winter, with sunshine around 1400 hours a year.

The exception to British Columbia's wet and cloudy winters is during the [[El Niño]] phase. During El Niño events, the jet stream is much farther south across North America, making the province's winters milder and drier than normal. Winters are much wetter and cooler during the opposite phase, [[La Niña]].
{{Port Renfrew weatherbox}}

=== Lower Mainland ===
Like regions of [[San Francisco]] and [[southern California]], the [[Lower Mainland]] exhibits a variety of [[microclimate]]s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/environment-canada-metro-vancouver-forecast-weather-map|title=Environment Canada splits Metro Vancouver into 5 weather forecast sub-areas|access-date=May 16, 2020}}</ref> Here, the winters are cloudy, cool, and rainy, while the summers are varied across the region. For example, [[Delta, British Columbia|Delta]] on the southwest tip of the region has summer highs of {{cvt|21|C}}, while inland regions like [[Abbotsford, British Columbia|Abbotsford]] and [[Chilliwack]] have summers up to {{cvt|25|C}} and occasionally above {{cvt|30|C}}. Precipitation is between {{cvt|900|and|2000|mm}}. Sunshine ranges from 1500 to 2000 hours.
{{Vancouver weatherbox}}

=== Southwest Interior ===
Here, the winters are comparatively colder, with temperatures between {{cvt|-5|and|4|C}}, but still very mild for inland locations. Conversely, summer temperatures are the highest in Canada, generally between {{cvt|27|and|40.5|C}}. Regional averages range from {{cvt|26|C}} in higher elevations up to {{cvt|32|C}} in [[Osoyoos]], which has the hottest daytime high temperature in Canada. Although the days are hot, the humidity is low and nights are very cool, reaching {{cvt|15|C}} in summer. These regions are typically very dry, with some regions receiving less than {{cvt|300|mm}} on around 100 days, strongly contrasting with some of the wettest regions in the world on the coast. In spite of the arid climate, temperature inversions are often created in winter which reduces sunshine to just 1700 to 2000 hours a year, exceptionally little for the dryness.
{{Osoyoos weatherbox}}

=== Southeast Interior ===
This region, situated further to the east, typically has similar weather to the southwest interior, although with cooler and wetter conditions due to [[orographic lift]] and higher elevation. The winters are between {{cvt|-15|and|2|C}}, while the summers are {{cvt|23|to|31|C}}.
{{Castlegar weatherbox}}

=== Cariboo ===

This region typically has cooler weather due to increased latitude and altitude, but is still generally warmer than much of Canada at similar latitudes. Here, the winters are between {{cvt|-20|and|0|C}}, while summers are between {{cvt|18|and|25|C}}.
{{Prince George weatherbox}}

=== North Coast ===
The North Coast of British Columbia typically has winters that are remarkably similar to the southern Coast, but with much cooler summers between {{cvt|13|and|20|C}}. It is also very wet, with {{cvt|1500|to|4500|mm}} of precipitation a year falling on around 230 days. The North Coast is one of the cloudiest places in Canada, with [[Stewart, British Columbia]] having only 985 hours of sun a year.<ref name="Stewart" >{{cite web
|url= https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?searchType=stnName&txtStationName=Stewart&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=434&dispBack=0
|title=Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 Station Data Stewart Airport
|date=25 September 2013
|publisher= Environment and Climate Change Canada
|access-date=16 July 2014 }}</ref>
{{Prince Rupert weatherbox}}

=== Northeast ===
The northeast of the province is the only region east of the [[Rocky Mountains]], causing conditions similar to the rest of Canada and similar to neighbouring Alberta. Winters are {{cvt|-10|to|-30|C}} while summers are {{cvt|18|to|26|C}}.
{{Fort St. John weatherbox}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" ;"
|+ Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected cities in British Columbia<ref name="Canadian Climate Normals or Averages 1981–2010">{{Cite web |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/index_e.html |title=Canadian Climate Normals or Averages 1981–2010 |date=October 31, 2011 |publisher=Environment Canada |access-date=December 19, 2014}}</ref>
|-
! rowspan=2 | Municipality
! colspan=2 | January
! colspan=2 | April
! colspan=2 | July
! colspan=2 | October
|-
! data-sort-type=number | Max
! data-sort-type=number | Min
! data-sort-type=number | Max
! data-sort-type=number | Min
! data-sort-type=number | Max
! data-sort-type=number | Min
! data-sort-type=number | Max
! data-sort-type=number | Min
|-
| [[Prince Rupert, British Columbia|Prince Rupert]]
| {{convert|5.6|C}}
| {{convert|-0.8|C}}
| {{convert|10.2|C}}
| {{convert|2.5|C}}
| {{convert|16.2|C}}
| {{convert|10.5|C}}
| {{convert|11.1|C}}
| {{convert|4.9|C}}
|-
| [[Tofino]]
| {{convert|8.3|C}}
| {{convert|2.3|C}}
| {{convert|11.9|C}}
| {{convert|4.0|C}}
| {{convert|18.9|C}}
| {{convert|10.5|C}}
| {{convert|13.6|C}}
| {{convert|6.3|C}}
|-
| [[Nanaimo]]
| {{convert|6.9|C}}
| {{convert|0.1|C}}
| {{convert|14.1|C}}
| {{convert|3.9|C}}
| {{convert|23.9|C}}
| {{convert|12.3|C}}
| {{convert|14.6|C}}
| {{convert|5.2|C}}
|-
| [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]]
| {{convert|7.6|C}}
| {{convert|1.5|C}}
| {{convert|13.6|C}}
| {{convert|4.3|C}}
| {{convert|22.4|C}}
| {{convert|11.3|C}}
| {{convert|14.2|C}}
| {{convert|5.7|C}}
|-
| [[Vancouver]]
| {{convert|6.9|C}}
| {{convert|1.4|C}}
| {{convert|13.2|C}}
| {{convert|5.6|C}}
| {{convert|22.2|C}}
| {{convert|13.7|C}}
| {{convert|13.5|C}}
| {{convert|7.0|C}}
|-
| [[Chilliwack]]
| {{convert|6.1|C}}
| {{convert|0.4|C}}
| {{convert|15.8|C}}
| {{convert|5.2|C}}
| {{convert|25.0|C}}
| {{convert|12.5|C}}
| {{convert|15.3|C}}
| {{convert|6.4|C}}
|-
| [[Penticton]]
| {{convert|1.8|C}}
| {{convert|-3.0|C}}
| {{convert|15.7|C}}
| {{convert|2.5|C}}
| {{convert|28.7|C}}
| {{convert|13.3|C}}
| {{convert|14.3|C}}
| {{convert|3.2|C}}
|-
| [[Kamloops]]
| {{convert|0.4|C}}
| {{convert|-5.9|C}}
| {{convert|16.6|C}}
| {{convert|3.2|C}}
| {{convert|28.9|C}}
| {{convert|14.2|C}}
| {{convert|13.7|C}}
| {{convert|3.3|C}}
|-
| [[Osoyoos]]
| {{convert|2.0|C}}
| {{convert|-3.8|C}}
| {{convert|18.1|C}}
| {{convert|3.6|C}}
| {{convert|31.5|C}}
| {{convert|14.3|C}}
| {{convert|16.4|C}}
| {{convert|3.5|C}}
|-
| [[Princeton, British Columbia|Princeton]]
| {{convert|-1.4|C}}
| {{convert|-8.6|C}}
| {{convert|14.4|C}}
| {{convert|-0.3|C}}
| {{convert|26.3|C}}
| {{convert|9.5|C}}
| {{convert|13.2|C}}
| {{convert|0.3|C}}
|-
| [[Cranbrook, British Columbia|Cranbrook]]
| {{convert|-1.9|C}}
| {{convert|-10.2|C}}
| {{convert|12.9|C}}
| {{convert|0.3|C}}
| {{convert|26.2|C}}
| {{convert|11.2|C}}
| {{convert|11.7|C}}
| {{convert|-0.3|C}}
|-
| [[Prince George, British Columbia|Prince George]]
| {{convert|-4.0|C}}
| {{convert|-11.7|C}}
| {{convert|11.2|C}}
| {{convert|-1.1|C}}
| {{convert|22.4|C}}
| {{convert|9.1|C}}
| {{convert|9.4|C}}
| {{convert|-0.5|C}}
|-
| [[Fort Nelson, British Columbia|Fort Nelson]]
| {{convert|-16.1|C}}
| {{convert|-24.6|C}}
| {{convert|9.6|C}}
| {{convert|-3.6|C}}
| {{convert|23.2|C}}
| {{convert|10.9|C}}
| {{convert|5.2|C}}
| {{convert|-4.2|C}}
|}

===Parks and Protected Areas===
{{See also|List of British Columbia Provincial Parks}}

There are 14 designations of parks and protected areas in the province that reflect 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&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) 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 [https://web.archive.org/web/20051103033519/http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/ BC Parks] of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

In addition to parks, British Columbia also protects approximately 47,000 square kilometers of agricultural land via the [[Agricultural Land Reserve]].

==Ecoregions==

===Environment Canada system===
[[Environment Canada]] subdivides British Columbia into a system of [[Ecozones of Canada|ecozone]]s, each containing smaller ecoregions.  The ecozones within British Columbia include the [[Pacific Marine Ecozone (CEC)|Pacific Marine]], [[Pacific Maritime Ecozone (CEC)|Pacific Maritime]], [[Boreal Cordillera Ecozone (CEC)|Boreal Cordillera]], [[Montane Cordillera Ecozone (CEC)|Montane Cordillera]], [[Taiga Plains Ecozone (CEC)|Taiga Plains]], and [[Boreal Plains Ecozone (CEC)|Boreal Plains Ecozone]]s.  The system used was established by the trilateral [[Commission for Environmental Cooperation]] and as such is parallel to that used by the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]] in the United States, though their system uses different names for the same ecozones and ecoregions, and to a similar ecoregional subdivision of [[Mexico]].

===World Wildlife Fund system===
In an ecoregion system advanced by the [[World Wildlife Fund]], British Columbia's ecosystems are divided on five different levels, each classifying the area on a progressively more detailed basis. At the top level, [https://web.archive.org/web/20050312035158/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 [https://web.archive.org/web/20050312034612/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 [https://web.archive.org/web/20050312044910/http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/ecology/ecoregions/province.html ecoprovinces] which consider climate, oceanography, relief and regional landforms. The ecoprovinces are then divided into [https://web.archive.org/web/20050312045651/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 [https://web.archive.org/web/20050312050305/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===
{{Main|Biogeoclimatic zones of British Columbia}}
The [[Executive Council of British Columbia|British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range]] subdivides the province's ecoregions into [[Biogeoclimatic zones of British Columbia|a system of biogeoclimatic zones]]:<ref>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)</ref>
* 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]], [[Alnus rubra|Red Alder]], [[Polystichum munitum|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]] Valleys, and on [[Haida Gwaii]].  This zone was the original focus 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 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 ecosystem|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 (habitat)|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]].

===Floristic province===
In [[botany]], nearly all of British Columbia is part of the [[Rocky Mountain Floristic Province]].

==Political geography==

Founded as several colonies as part of the British Empire, the political geography is complicated by the fact that during colonization no treaties or conquests of First Nations (the indigenous people) occurred outside of a few small areas of the province. The resulting legal and political system is based upon the British, and later Canadian state that evolved from it. At present much of the province is subject to contested title and political rights with First Nations. The issue used to be called the Indian Land Question, though the term is no longer used.  On-going disputes have included protest, political activity and legal challenges, including the recent [[Supreme Court of Canada]] decision recognizing title to one group ([[Tsilhqot'in Nation v British Columbia]]).

British Columbia is divided into defined regions for various political purposes. One is for the purpose of providing local government services in various ways.  Among the most important subdivisions of the province are forest regions and forest districts, which have jurisdiction over forests and their management, and also [[rangeland|range]] and [[grazing lease]]s, and also manage Ministry of Forests recreation sites and campgrounds.  Other important subdivisions are Ministry of Environment regions (which controls water rights and management, environmental oversight, pesticide and herbicide permits, the [[British Columbia Conservation Officer Service]] and [[Fish and Wildlife Branch]]; the [[List of British Columbia provincial parks|provincial parks]] are managed by a sub-department of the Ministry of Environment, BC Parks), [[Health regions of Canada#British Columbia|health regions]] (which administer health funding, hospitals and ambulance services), [[List of school districts in British Columbia|school districts]] (whose taxation authority is distinct from that of regional districts and organized by [[tax assessment areas]]), and mining districts (whose authority under the Mines Act supersedes nearly all other jurisdictions).  The Ministry of Tourism also has a system of tourism regions, and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Small Business Development divides the province into [[development region]]s, with [[BC Stats]] using a different regionalization system than that of Statistics Canada, which uses regional district boundaries to organize its data.  Also very important is a system of [[Regional Management Planning Board]]s, which are "roundtable"-type planning authorities on which local stakeholders ranging from taxpayer and industry groups, municipalities and chambers of commerce, Ministry of Forests and Ministry of Environment/BC Parks and in some cases First Nations hammer out long-range plans for regional land-use management.

The provincial judicial system also subdivides the province into [[Counties of British Columbia|counties]], though this is mostly only procedural and does not impact directly on daily life.

All such regions and underlying title and survey descriptions are organized by land districts, which are the cadastral survey system underlying all legal descriptions in the province and date from the original Lands Act in the days of the [[Colony of British Columbia (1858–1866)|Colony of British Columbia]] and [[Colony of Vancouver Island]].

===Local government===
In the case of municipal-type services, there are municipalities, which are incorporated areas, and regional districts, which are groups 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.<!--horrendous over-simplification; see new section below--> 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.

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 and municipal-type powers<!--such as they are--> are administered directly by the provincial government. The Stikine Region has a permanent population of only 1,352 people, most of them aboriginal, and covers an area of 135,391 square kilometers with no municipalities within its borders. its only major towns being [[Atlin, British Columbia|Atlin]] and [[Telegraph Creek]].  Most planning in that region is governed by the [[Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources]] (forestry is only a small player in the region's economy as yet). All the regional districts and municipalities are members of the [[Union of British Columbia Municipalities]].<ref>[http://www.civicnet.bc.ca/siteengine/ActivePage.asp?PageID=83 Union of British Columbia Municipalities website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051031085942/http://www.civicnet.bc.ca/siteengine/ActivePage.asp?PageID=83 |date=2005-10-31 }}</ref>  The former Sechelt Indian Band is now a municipal-type government, the [[Sechelt Indian Government District]], and former Indian Reserves are now fee-simple lands within that effective municipality.

====Regional districts====
{{Main|Regional districts of British Columbia}}
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Regional District in British Columbia.jpg|thumb|Regional district borders]] -->

Since 1966–67, British Columbia has been segmented into 27 regional districts as a way of extending municipal powers outside of municipalities. These regional districts are governed by boards composed of representatives of member municipalities and electoral areas. The unincorporated area of the regional district is segmented into electoral areas. Each electoral area elects one director who sits on the Regional Board and the Electoral Area Directors Committee. The [[Islands Trust]]<ref>[http://www.islandstrust.bc.ca/ Islands Trust website]</ref> acts similar to a regional district for most of the unincorporated islands in the [[Gulf of Georgia]] between the Mainland and Vancouver Island, which are part of various regional districts though the Islands Trust supersedes them in planning and zoning authority.

The regional districts are used to provide local government services (mostly zoning, building inspection, etc.) to unincorporated areas, sub-regional services (e.g. street bridge over a border) between two or more members, regional parks, and regional services (e.g. funding the regional hospital district){{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} required for the entire area. Also, as a collection of municipalities they are able to borrow funds for capital projects at lower interest rates.{{citation needed|date=December 2010}}

====Municipalities====
{{Main|List of municipalities in British Columbia}}
There are over 150 [[Municipality|municipalities]] in British Columbia. They are divided into cities, districts, towns and villages, according to their population at the time of their incorporation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca/lgd/gov_structure/incorporation_guide.pdf |title=A Guide to Municipal Incorporation |access-date=2005-11-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051103150323/http://www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca/lgd/gov_structure/incorporation_guide.pdf |archive-date=2005-11-03 }}</ref> 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 Local Government Act (formerly the Municipal Act),<ref>[http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/stat/L/96323_00.htm Local Government Act] (formerly the Municipal Act) {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051030114646/http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/stat/L/96323_00.htm |date=October 30, 2005 }}</ref> which is being replaced, in phases, by the Community Charter.<ref>[http://www.legis.gov.bc.ca/37th4th/3rd_read/gov14-3-toc.htm Legislative Assembly of British Columbia<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051123201857/http://www.legis.gov.bc.ca/37th4th/3rd_read/gov14-3-toc.htm |date=2005-11-23 }}</ref>  The City of Vancouver obtains its legislative authority from the [[Vancouver Charter]].

====Indian reserves & band governments====
British Columbia has a large number of [[List of Indian Reserves in British Columbia|Indian Reserves]] which are outside the municipal and regional district systems and are self-governing by numerous [[List of First Nations governments in British Columbia|band governments]], most of which belong to [[tribal council]]s, which is an association of bands with common interests and not governments as such.  Many bands claim sovereignty, having signed no treaties to surrender title.

===Provincial electoral districts===
[[File:Bc2005.PNG|thumb|2005 general election, popular vote by electoral districts]]
{{main|List of British Columbia provincial electoral districts}}

For representation in the [[Legislative Assembly of British Columbia|Legislative Assembly]] B.C. is segmented into 87 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. Patterns of voting established by the right-wing predecessors of the BC Liberal Party, the [[British Columbia Social Credit Party|BC Social Credit Party]] and the wartime Liberal-Conservative Coalition dominated provincial politics for much of the latter part of the twentieth century and enjoyed power bases on Vancouver's West Side, Victoria's richer suburbs, on the south bank of the Fraser Valley and in the [[Okanagan]] and the province's Central Interior and Northeast. The New Democratic Party has traditionally drawn its support from more urbanized areas such as Vancouver and Victoria, as well as the North Coast and northwest Interior, plus the mining towns of the Kootenays and key areas of Vancouver Island. Swing areas include the BC Interior, certain urban areas within the Lower Mainland (like Surrey) and certain rural areas (like in southeastern BC).

===Federal electoral districts===
{{Main|List of federal electoral districts in British Columbia}}
The province of British Columbia currently has 42 electoral districts represented in the [[House of Commons of Canada]].  Regional voting patterns are similar to those for provincial ridings, except that many voters vote differently federally than they do provincially, particularly on the right.<!--needs cite I know, but it's a nostrum in BC politics, and also applies to NDP voters-->{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Geography|Canada}}
* [[Outline of British Columbia#Geography of British Columbia|Outline of British Columbia geography]]
* [[List of islands of British Columbia]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==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]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051114200731/http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parks/a.htm List of parks]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051103000309/http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/land/landcover Land Cover]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060214193350/http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/maps/reference/provincesterritoriesrelief/bc_relief/referencemap_image_view Relief Map of British Columbia]
* [http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/ecology/ecoregions/ Ecoregions of British Columbia]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050507174704/http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/ecology/ecoregions/intro.html Ecoregion Classification Background]
* [http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/ British Columbia: BCStats]
* [https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0347288 Erica A. Massey: A Comparative Study of Glaciovolcanic Palagonitization of Tholeitic and Alkaline Sideromelane in Helgafell, Icland, and Wells Gray-Clearwater Volcanic Filed, BC, Canada. B.Sc., The University of British Columbia, 2014]


{{BritishColumbia}}
{{Canada Geography}}

[[Category:Geography of British Columbia| ]]