British Columbia is truly one of the most beautiful places in the world Canada's West Coast province is marked by thousands of rugged fjords incredible mountains endless forests and even a surprising desert despite this beauty however the majority of its population lies in a very small area in the southwest of the province so why is the vast majority of British Columbia so incredibly [Music] empty welcome to geography by Jeff today we're going to explore my very favorite Canadian province br Columbia which is probably not surprised because I'm based right here in Oregon still outside of B National Park I would argue that there are few places in Canada that are as staggeringly beautiful despite all this beauty however most British Colombians live within the very small areas of Vancouver and Victoria and as usual there's a geographic reason for this but first be sure to check out this week's podcast episode all about the catalonian independence movement Catalonia an autonomous region within Spain has long had a desire for full Independence something Spain has staunchly opposed and we break it all down for you you can now watch full video versions of the podcast right here on YouTube or on whatever app you use to listen to podcasts all links are in the description below oh and be sure to check out a special live episode this Friday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time you can watch that right here on this [Music] channel British Columbia a province rich in natural beauty has a history rooted in the lives of the First Nations tribes Colonial Ambitions and the evolution of modern Canada prior to European explorers and colonizers Indigenous peoples lived in this region for Millennia these First Nations including the heida Salish Nan Noth and many others developed complex societies with Rich Traditions cultures and economies in fact the Salish peoples are thought to have arrived in the region somewhere between 3,000 and 6,000 years ago but the region we know today as British Columbia took a significant turn with the arrival of European explorers in the 1700s the Spanish and British were the first Europeans to explore the coast however it was the latter under the offices of the Hudson Bay Company that began to establish a permanent presence given its remoteness the fur trade became the central economic activity leading to the establishment of trading posts and interactions both cooperative and contentious with the indigenous peoples the 1800s brought a pivotal moment in the history of this region the dispute over the Oregon Country this vast area stretching from the northern border of California to the southern border of Russian Alaska was claimed by multiple Powers Spain Russia Britain and the United States the competing claims were rooted in various exploration and trading Expeditions the nutka convention in the late 18th century resolved some disputes between Spain and Britain while the United States based its claim on the explorations of Lewis and Clark and the fur trading post established by John Jacob Aster's Pacific Fur Company as American sellers began to move into the Oregon Country tensions escalated leading to the Oregon boundary dispute between Britain and the United States this dispute was part of the larger Manifest Destiny ideology that drove us expansion Westward the slogan 5440 or fight exemplified the American desire to extend its northern border to Latitude 54° North far into present-day British Columbia however the eventual compromise in the Oregon Treaty of 1846 established the 49th parallel as the Border excluding Vancouver Island which remained under British control this resolution was pivotal for the future of British Columbia it led to the creation of the colony of Vancouver Island in 1849 and the colony of British Columbia in 1858 prompted by The Frasier Canyon Gold Rush which attracted an influx of settlers including Americans these colonies were United in 1866 creating a single British colony that was diverse in its population and rich in potential today British Columbia is one of Canada's best known provinces and its Geographic position on the Pacific Ocean makes it incredibly important for Canada as a whole but before we get to the physical geography of British Columbia if you're enjoying this video hit that subscribe button more fun geography videos are just a single click [Music] away British Columbia Canada's westernmost province is renowned for its stunning physical geography that ranges from the Pacific Coastline to the Rocky Mountains this diverse landscape plays a crucial role in shaping the province's climate ecosystems and human activities the coastal region of British Columbia which includes the famous Inside passage is characterized by a rugged Coastline dotted with fjords inlets and thousands of islands including Vancouver Island and the huay archipelago this area is heavily influenced by the Pacific Ocean leading to a mild wet climate particularly in the coastal rainforests The Great Bear Rainforest one of the world's largest temperate rainforests is home to an abundance of Wildlife including the rare White cmode Bear moving Inland the terrain Rises to the coast mountains an imposing range that includes some of the province's highest peaks and extensive glaciation these mountains act as a climatic barrier creating the wet conditions on the coast and Sheltering the interior regions the coastal mountain range is also treasured for its Alpine scenery and outdoor recreation opportunities especially in areas like Whistler a world famous ski resort beyond the coast mountains the interior of British Columbia is more varied the central and southern parts of the province are dominated by the Colombia mountains sometimes referred to as part of the Rocky Mountains these regions feature some of the most picturesque landscapes in Canada with towering Peaks deep valleys and Crystal Clear Lakes between these two mountain ranges lies the interior Plateau encompassing areas such as the Caribou the chil cotton and the Okanagan the Okanagan Valley famous for its Sunny climate and wine production contrasts sharply with the Lush wet Coast in fact the southern portion of the valley is actually classified as a desert something most people wouldn't associate with British Columbia further north the landscape transitions into the vast sparsely populated regions of the northern interior dominated by the Canadian Rockies and the casar mountains this region much of which is wild and untouched is known for its Wilderness and Wildlife including large populations of moose bears and Caribou in addition to these terrestrial features British Columbia's hydrography is dominated by significant Rivers such as the Frasier Colombia and skina which have played vital roles in the province's history and development The Frasier River in particular is Central to the province's geography running for over, 1300 km and draining a large portion of the Interior Plateau at Vancouver British Columbia's physical geography bucks the Pacific Northwest stereotype while it has wet coastal areas it also has drier sunnier regions that are more amenable to agriculture which begs the question why do most people live in the far southwest corner of the province and not where it's [Music] sunnier British Columbia Canada's westernmost province is a huge province in fact all of Texas could fit within the province with over 200,000 Square km left over but despite its Geographic size about 60% of its population is concentrated in the southwest leaving the rest of the province feeling pretty empty as with most places in the world the initial settlement and development patterns in British Columbia played a crucial role in its population concentration both Vancouver and Victoria were among the earliest areas to be colonized and urbanized due to their strategic Coastal locations Victoria located on Vancouver Island became an important trading post and was the capital of the colony of Vancouver Island before the union with the mainland Vancouver situated on the mainland emerged as a major port city and a commercial hub due to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean and later its connection to the rest of Canada through the Canadian Pacific Railway and with early prominence came economic opportunities that have compounded Through The Years Vancouver as a gateway to the asia-pacific region and a hub for Industries such as technology film and finance offers a deep pool of employment opportunities similarly Victoria with its government services and tourism industry has much to offer as well these economic prospects coupled with higher education institutions and cultural amenities make these cities highly desirable for residents seeking job opportunities and urban lifestyles but it's not just about the cities themselves Geographic constraints also play a pivotal role in the population distribution much of British Columbia's terrain is very rugged and mountainous with the coastal and rocky mountain ranges creating significant barriers to development the interior and Northern regions of the province while Rich and natural resources are less hospitable for large- scale urbanization due to factors like harsher climates less acccess accessible Transportation networks and limited aable land this has naturally led to a concentration of more population in the more geographically favorable coastal areas that said Kona located in the Okanagan Valley does have a fairly large population due to its physical proximity to agriculturally productive lands and a wine industry that is world-renowned but outside of those three cities the vast majority of British Columbia's land area remains very sparsely populated these areas while scenically and resource Rich lack the concentrated economic opportunities and infrastructure that drive significant population growth today the largest metro region in British Columbia would be Vancouver with about 2.6 million people this would be followed by Victoria with about 4,000 these two combined make up more than 60% of British Colombia's population outside of these two Colona would be the largest metro region with about 230,000 people followed by abbottsford with 200,000 the Nao and cam loops with 115,000 each and chilak with 113,000 people no other metro area in British Columbia has more than 100,000 [Music] people Canada's full ownership of Vancouver Island despite part of it extending below the 49th parallel the primary dividing line between Canada and the United States is a result of historic agreements that shape the boundaries of these two countries the origin of the 49th parallel as a border can be traced back to the early 1800s during this period both Britain and the United States had territorial claims on the Pacific Northwest the area known as the Oregon Country by Americans and the Colombia District by the British was a subject of significant contention between the two Powers but in 1846 the Oregon treaty was negotiated to resolve this dispute the treaty established the 49th parallel as the boundary between British and American territories from the Rocky Mountains to the straight of Georgia however the agreement specifically granted all of Vancouver Island to Britain despite its southern tip the area around present day Victoria lying south of the 49th parallel this exception was made primarily because cutting the island at the 49th parallel would have been impractical and resulted in administrative and logistical challenges the decision to Grant the entire Island to Britain was also influenced by strategic considerations maintaining British control over the entire Island ensured that the British royal Navy would have access to the Pacific via the Strategic Naval Base at eskimal this Naval presence was crucial for protecting British interests in the Pacific especially considering the growing power and westward expansion of the United States the rest is as we say history Vancouver Island remains part of Canada despite existing significantly below the 49th parallel the same cannot be said of Point Roberts however a geographic odity that belongs to the state of Washington but that we'll have to wait for a future episode British Columbia is vast but its population really isn't and this mostly has to do with the province's unique Geographic constraints that aren't really felt in the rest of Canada I hope you enjoyed learning more about British Columbia if you did please subscribe to my channel if you want to watch more of my videos click here if you want to listen to the podcast click here thanks for watching see you next time