Vancouver
For the city in Washington, see Vancouver, Washington.| City of Vancouver | |
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| Motto: "By Sea, Land, and Air We Prosper" | |
 City of Vancouver
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| Coordinates: 49°15′N 123°6′W / 49.25°N 123.1°WCoordinates: 49°15′N 123°6′W / 49.25°N 123.1°W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Region | Lower Mainland |
| Regional District | Metro Vancouver |
| Incorporated | |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Gregor Robertson (Vision Vancouver) |
| • City Council | Raymond Louie Kerry Jang Heather Deal Andrea Reimer Tim Stevenson Geoff Meggs Tony Tang Elizabeth Ball George Affleck Adriane Carr |
| Area | |
| • City | 114.97 km2 (44.39 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 2,878.52 km2 (1,111.40 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 0-152 m (0-501 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • City | 603,502 |
| • Density | 5,249/km2 (13,590/sq mi) |
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) |
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) |
| Postal code span | V5K to V6Z |
| Area code(s) | 604, 778 |
| Website | City of Vancouver Website |
Vancouver is a coastal city and major seaport on the mainland of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. The city, with a population of over 570,000, is the largest city in British Columbia. Metro Vancouver has a population over 2 million,[1] making it the third largest metropolitan area in Canada. Vancouver has a mix of people from different cultures, with 52% of city residents having a first language other than English.[2][3]
Contents |
History [change]
Native people began living in this area around 10,000-8,000 years ago. These people were part of three main groups: the Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh.[4][5]
Vancouver was founded in 1886, and is named after British naval captain George Vancouver. Captain Vancouver explored the area around Vancouver and Vancouver Island in the 1790s.
Buildings and information [change]
The University of British Columbia is in Vancouver.
Vancouver also has Stanley Park which has beaches and totem poles. Nearby is Grouse Mountain which has excellent skiing. Grouse Mountain also has an animal sanctuary, including wolves and bears.
The 2010 Winter Olympics were held in Vancouver and was the first time Canada won a gold medal on Canadian soil.
Vancouver has an NHL hockey team, the Vancouver Canucks. They have never won a Stanley Cup.
Vancouver has a CFL football team, the BC Lions. They have won the Grey Cup 6 times.
The Vancouver Whitecaps Soccer team played in the USL First Division for many years, and had enjoyed much success. The Vancouver Whitecaps are now a franchise of the Major League Soccer professional league. The Lions Gate Bridge is in Vancouver.
Geography [change]
Vancouver is on a peninsula on the West Coast of Canada, less than a one hour drive north of the Canada-U.S. border. Between Vancouver and the Pacific Ocean to the west is a large island called Vancouver Island. Until the city was named in 1885, "Vancouver" referred to Vancouver Island. Some people mistakenly think that the city is on Vancouver Island. On the south shore of Vancouver is the Fraser River, which flows west into the Strait of Georgia. The water along the north shore is Burrard Inlet. The city has an area of 114 square kilometres (44 sq mi). The larger metropolitan area is 2,878 square kilometres (1,111 sq mi). As with most of British Columbia, Vancouver is in the Pacific Time Zone (UTC−8).
Climate [change]
The average annual rainfall is 1155 mm, mostly from October to April. High temperatures in the summer average 22°C. The highest temperature ever recorded was 34.4°C on July 30, 2009. On average, snow falls on only 11 days per year. The snow is usually wet, not very deep, and melts in the rain. On average, on only 4.5 days a year does the temperature not rise above freezing.
| Vancouver Climatological Data | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature | |||||||||||||||
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | ||
| Record high | °C (°F) |
15.3 (60) |
18.4 (65) |
19.4 (67) |
25.0 (77) |
30.4 (87) |
30.6 (87) |
34.4 (94) |
33.3 (92) |
29.3 (85) |
23.7 (75) |
18.4 (65) |
14.9 (59) |
34.4 (94) |
|
| Average high | °C (°F) |
6.1 (43) |
8.0 (46) |
10.1 (50) |
13.1 (56) |
16.5 (62) |
19.2 (67) |
21.7 (71) |
21.9 (71) |
18.7 (66) |
13.5 (56) |
9.0 (48) |
6.2 (43) |
13.7 (57) |
|
| Mean | °C (°F) |
3.3 (38) |
4.8 (41) |
6.6 (44) |
9.2 (49) |
12.5 (55) |
15.2 (59) |
17.5 (64) |
17.6 (64) |
14.6 (58) |
10.1 (50) |
6.0 (43) |
3.5 (38) |
10.1 (50) |
|
| Average low | °C (°F) |
0.5 (33) |
1.5 (35) |
3.1 (38) |
5.3 (42) |
8.4 (47) |
11.2 (53) |
13.2 (56) |
13.4 (56) |
10.5 (51) |
6.6 (44) |
3.1 (38) |
0.8 (33) |
6.5 (44) |
|
| Record low | °C (°F) |
-17.8 (-0) |
-16.1 (3) |
-9.4 (15) |
-3.3 (26) |
0.6 (33) |
3.9 (39) |
6.7 (43) |
6.1 (44) |
0 (32) |
-5.9 (21) |
-14.3 (6) |
-17.8 (-0) |
-17.8 (-0) |
|
| Average Precipitation and Sunshine Hours | |||||||||||||||
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | ||
| Total Precipitation |
mm (in) |
153.6 (6.1) |
123.1 (4.9) |
114.3 (4.5) |
84 (3.3) |
67.9 (2.7) |
54.8 (2.2) |
39.6 (1.6) |
39.1 (1.5) |
53.5 (2.1) |
112.6 (4.4) |
181 (7.1) |
175.7 (6.9) |
1199 (47) |
|
| Rainfall | mm (in) |
139.1 (5.5) |
113.8 (4.5) |
111.8 (4.4) |
83.5 (3.3) |
67.9 (2.7) |
54.8 (2.2) |
39.6 (1.6) |
39.1 (1.5) |
53.5 (2.1) |
112.5 (4.4) |
178.5 (7.0) |
160.6 (6.3) |
1154.7 (45.5) |
|
| Snowfall | cm (in) |
16.6 (6.5) |
9.6 (3.8) |
2.6 (1) |
0.4 (0.2) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 (0) |
2.5 (1) |
16.3 (6.4) |
48.2 (19) |
|
| Sunshine | hours | 60 | 85 | 134 | 182 | 231 | 229 | 295 | 268 | 199 | 125 | 64 | 56 | 1928 | |
| Data recorded at Vancouver International Airport by Environment Canada. Data spans 1971 to 2000. | |||||||||||||||
References [change]
- ↑ "Province of British Columbia and Greater Vancouver Transit Authority (TransLink) Facts 2008" (PDF). Government of Canada. http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/data/pop/pop/mun/Mun2007txt.pdf. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
- ↑ "2006 Census: Population by mother tongue - cities". http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/highlights/Language/Table401.cfm?Lang=E&T=401&GH=7&GF=59&G5=0&SC=1&RPP=100&SR=401&S=0&O=A&D1=1. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
- ↑ "City Facts 2004" (PDF). City of Vancouver. http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/commsvcs/cityplans/CityFacts04.pdf. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
- ↑ Thom, Brian (1996). "Stó:lo Culture - Ideas of Prehistory and Changing Cultural Relationships to the Land and Environment". http://home.istar.ca/~bthom/LONGTERM-FIN.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-23.
- ↑ Carlson, Keith Thor (ed.) (2001). A Stó:lō-Coast Salish Historical Atlas. Vancouver, BC: Douglas & McIntyre. pp. 6–18. ISBN 1-5505-4812-3.
Other websites [change]
