Vancouver and the BC Lower Mainland

Vancouver, British Columbia is a bustling city located along the western coastline. A British explorer called George Vancouver arrived in the area around 1790, where the city's name is derived from.



Right after the development of sawmills in 1867, Vancouver began to develop in industry. The downtown area generally known as Gastown was the center of the town from which the city grew. Situated on a busy seaport, Vancouver was formally incorporated in 1886 and began to expand rapidly due to the introduction of the transcontinental railway linked to the city. The seaport was, and still is an essential circuit of trade linking Vancouver to London, the Orient and Eastern Canada. These days Vancouver's seaport is the largest and busiest port in Canada.

Vancouver is known for its urban, ethnic and modern culture. Nicknamed Hollywood North, the city also includes a strong and popular film industry. Vancouver is also no stranger to playing host to global events such as the Commonwealth Games (1954), the World Exposition (1986) and most recently the Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games (2010).

Geography
Vancouver is on the Burrard Peninsula and the Fraser River. The city is comprised of areas of hills and flat land stretching across 114 square km or 44 square miles. On fresh days, Bowen Island west of the city and Vancouver Island west and southwest of the city can be seen. Also, the Northshore mountain peaks provide a panoramic background for the city's skyscape. Mount Baker, a snow-capped volcano, found in Washington State can be seen on clear days to the southeast. The Strait of Georgia and the Pacific Ocean are the two significant bodies of water around Vancouver. Another visible geographic city feature is Stanley Park. The park spans 404.9 hectares (1001 acres) providing a breathtaking woodland in the city. Stanley Park is one of the largest urban areas in North America. The park includes dining facilities, attractions, trails, the Seawall and beautiful 150 year old forested space.

The moderate weather of the city allows for many rain forest type species to flourish. Cedars, alders, maples, Douglas firs and various exotic species of trees can be viewed throughout the city and especially in Stanley Park.

Weather conditions
The climate in Vancouver is mentioned as being moderate and Oceanic. During the summer weeks the city experiences semi-drought conditions receiving little to no precipitation and maintaining average temperatures around 22 C. On July 30, 2009, Vancouver documented its highest temperature at 34.4 C. A standard winter in Vancouver commonly consists of heavy rainfall of up to 1,199 millimetres in some areas and snowfall averaging 48.2 centimetres that generally does not last. On occasion the temperatures will go under freezing in the city but rarely will reach temperatures lower than -10 C.


Demographic Info
Vancouver is composed of many different people groups. The city has been referred to as a city of neighbourhoods as it consists of areas such as Chinatown, Little Italy and Greektown. In the downtown core, Vancouver also has a large gay community represented in Canada's largest gay pride parade each year. In the most recent census (2006) it was reported that 52% of the city's population list a different language other than English as their mother tongue. The city has a sturdy Chinese representation with one third of Chinese origin. People of British, Irish and German descent are currently some of the largest groups; however, Asian immigrants from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Philippines and other countries in that area have increased rapidly in the last few decades.

Citizens aged 20-39 and 40-64 make up the primary demographic at 34.5% each. Citizens aged 65 and more mature make up the smallest age demographic (13.1%). Roughly 51% of the population is comprised of a visible minority people group.