Vancouver

Archaeological research has established that indigenous peoples began to appear in the territory occupied today by Vancouver, in the interval from 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. Settlements of the Musqueam Indian Band, Squamish people, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nation were located here.

The first European to explore the shores of Berrard Bay at the site of the future metropolis in 1791 was the Spanish navigator Jose Maria Narvaes . A year later, the English captain George Vancouver visited here, in whose honor the city was later named.

In 1858, a gold rush on the Fraser River led to the influx of more than 25 thousand prospectors here, as a result of which the city of New Westminster was founded, now part of the Greater Vancouver agglomeration .

Gastown - The settlement, later called Vancouver , began to form around the sawmill , opened in 1867 by the English sailor Edward Stump. It was located at the northern end of the current Dunlevy Avenue and, after a change of ownership, went down in history as Hastings Mill . In 1870, the colonial government renamed Gastun to Granville .

In 1884, the question of the location of the final destination of the Canadian Pacific Railway was decided. The competitors of Granville at that time were the larger New Westminster, Victoria and Port Moody . The availability of a convenient harbor at Granville with the possibility of calling sea vessels predetermined the choice in his favor.

In 1886, Granville was renamed Vancouver and received city status. A year later, the construction of the railway was completed, and trains began to go to Vancouver, which served as an impetus to the rapid development of the city. In 1886, its population was 1000 people, in 1891 - 14 000 , by 1901 - 26 000 , and in 1911, 100 000 inhabitants already lived in the city.

Greater Vancouver - the so-called city with its almost unlimited municipalities - is located at the mouth of the Fraser River on both banks of the long Bay of Burrard . Many magnificent modern bridges connect various parts of the city across the bay and the river with its sleeves. The business part of the city is connected with the northern districts by the famous Lions Gate Bridge (516 m long). And although there are 2 lion sculptures at the entrance to the bridge, it is named after the two striking and unique peaks of the Lion Mountain , resembling the heads of sea lions and dominating the northern part of Vancouver and the entire valley.

On all sides, Vancouver is surrounded by mountain peaks covered with tall trunk coniferous forests:

• The coastal ridge from the north and east,
• high (3285 m) Mount Baker from the south beyond the American border,
• the mountain range of Vancouver Island (visible above the azure strait in fine weather).

Many peaks are dressed all year round in snow-white snow hats, elegantly contrasting with the dazzling blue of the sky.

The most famous city park ( Stanley Park ) was laid on the peninsula that protrudes into the bay back in 1886 (the first year of the city's existence), when dense pristine forests rose around. Now Stanley Park and its Seawall promenade is a favorite vacation spot for citizens and tourists. Here are:

• large aquarium with trained dolphins,
• pools with collections of fish and amphibians,
• A collection of vibrant Native American totems placed in the open.

Also popular are Queen Elizabeth Park and Van Dusen Botanical Gardens located nearby.

Ecosystem

The flora in the Vancouver area was originally represented by moderately moist forests, consisting of conifers and scattered areas of growth of maple and alder , as well as large wetlands ^[6] . Conifers were especially common in the coastal areas of British Columbia and were a mixture of Pseudotsugi , folded Tui and Tsugi variegated ^[7] . The growing area of ​​the largest of these tree species is considered the coast of British Columbia. Only in the Elliott Bay area of Seattle , does the size of these trees compete with species that grow in Barrard Bay and British Columbia.

Many plants and trees growing throughout Vancouver were imported from different parts of the continent and even from East Asia through the Pacific Ocean. Various types of palm trees and a large number of other exotic plants grow in the city - such as Chilean araucaria , Japanese maple , magnolia , azalea and rhododendron . Some rhododendrons grow to enormous size, like other species brought from areas with more severe climates. Along many streets there are various sakura varieties presented to the city by the Japanese government in the 1930s ^[8] .

Climate

The climate of Vancouver is temperate , warm. Precipitation is many (except in the summer months). Winters are mild and rainy. The summer months are usually quite dry and warm, and moderate drought is observed in July-August. The rest of the year, on the contrary, is rich in precipitation, especially the period from October to March.

The average annual rainfall, according to Vancouver Airport in Richmond, is 1199 mm, although in fact their level substantially depends on the topography of a particular area: in the business sector, the level is much higher. In winter, most days (according to Vancouver Airport) are marked by significant rainfall. The summer months are drier and sunny, with a moderate temperature (due to the warm sea breeze). In July and August, the maximum daily temperature averages 22 ° C, sometimes reaching 30 ° C ^[9] . The highest recorded temperature is 34.4 ° C (July 30, 2009) ^{[10] [11]} . Snow falls on average eleven days a year, three days of which are more than 60 mm ^[12] . Winters in Greater Vancouver (Greater Vancouver) are in fourth place for softness among all of Canada, after the nearby Victoria (Victoria), Nanaimo (Nanaimo) and Duncan (Duncan) (they are all located on the island of Vancouver) ^[13] . The lower temperature bar in Vancouver drops below 0 ° C on average 46 days a year, and below −10 ° C - two days a year. On average 4.5 days a year, the temperature remains below zero Celsius and during the day.

Anglo-Canadians predominate in the small indigenous population of Vancouver. At the same time, a mild, warm climate, a combination of highland and seaside landscapes, transportation, comfortable living conditions attract an ever-growing flow of immigrants, primarily from Southeast Asia. The city has a significant area of ​​Chinatowns. And a new fashionable residential area that arose in the north, already in the mountains, is built up mostly in the Japanese and Chinese style, as many wealthy people from Hong Kong settled here.

Vancouver is one of the largest industrial centers in the country ^[17] . The city’s port is Canada’s largest and most diversified, with a turnover of over 75 billion Canadian dollars per year. Its activities add 10.5 billion US dollars to GDP and 22 billion US dollars in the form of economic results ^[18] .

Vancouver houses the headquarters of logging and mining companies.

In recent years, the city has become an increasingly important center for software development, biotechnology, as well as a dynamically developing film industry ^[19] .

The picturesque location of the city makes it one of the main places for tourism . Tourists visit the city gardens, Stanley Park, Queen Elizabeth Park, Van Dusen Botanical Garden; as well as mountains, the ocean, forests and other parks surrounding the city. Each year, more than a million people travel through Vancouver on cruise ships, often sailing to Alaska ^[19] .

Vancouver has a developed ground transportation system , which includes:

• Buses
• trolley buses
• West Coast Express suburban passenger line ( Eng. West Coast Express ),
• SkyTrain (overhead light subway ),
• SeaBus Passenger Ferry .

However, Vancouver still lags behind other Canadian cities in terms of public transport development.

Most of the city and suburban land transport is operated by the state-owned Translink company.

The SeaBus Passenger Ferry connects downtown with its north North Vancouver , crossing Berrad Bay in about 15 minutes. The route is serviced by two vessels, accommodating 400 people each and built in 1976. Vancouver is also served by SkyTrain trains, the world's longest fully automated light rail metro system.

Vancouver International Airport ( IATA code: YVR , ICAO : CYVR ) is located on an island in the Fraser Delta about 15 kilometers south of the city center. Many airlines offer daily flights from Vancouver to other cities in Canada, as well as international flights to the USA, Europe , Asia and Oceania .

Canadian Football

• British Columbia Lions ( CFL )

Soccer

• Vancouver Whitecaps ( MLS )

Hockey

• Vancouver Canucks ( NHL )
• Vancouver Giants ( WHL )

The Winter Olympic Games were held in Vancouver in February (from the 12th to the 28th day) of 2010, and the Winter Paralympic Games were held in March (from March 12th to the 21st day).

• Vancouver Island
• List of cities in British Columbia

• City of Vancouver (English) - the official website of the city
• Greater Vancouver Regional District - The region’s official website
• Official city page on Twitter (eng.)