Vancouver Island, British Columbia
The largest island off North America's Pacific coast, Vancouver
Island is 460 km (285 miles) long and up to 80 km (50 miles) wide.
With an area of 32,134 sq.
km (12,407 sq mi), Vancouver Island is roughly the size of
Belgium.
Vancouver Island is named after Captain George Vancouver,
the British naval officer who explored the Pacific coast of North
America between 1791 and 1794.
The population, though small at an estimated 750.000 for a region
of it's size, is rapidly growing, owing to Vancouver
Island's popularity as a retirement haven for Canadians seeking the
warmest climate in the country. Slightly less than half of the
island's total population lives in Greater Victoria, on the island's
southern tip. Other smaller cities on Vancouver Island include Duncan,
Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Parksville, Comox, Courtenay and Campbell
River.
Watch for more detailed information on Vancouver Island on this
page soon as we expand the website in the coming months..
