The Beautiful British Columbia!

Vancouver is a coastal city located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Located on the Burrard Peninsula, Vancouver lies between Burrard Inlet to the north and the Fraser River to the south. It is named for British Captain George Vancouver, who explored the area in the 1790s. The name Vancouver itself originates from the Dutch "van Coevorden," denoting somebody from Coevorden, a city in the Netherlands.

The largest metropolitan area in Western Canada, Vancouver ranks third largest in the country and the city proper ranks eighth. The city of Vancouver has a population of just over 578,000 and its Census Metropolitan Area exceeds 2.1 million people. Its residents are ethnically diverse, with 52% having a first language other than English.

Vancouver has ranked as one of the most livable cities in the world for more than a decade. It has hosted many international conferences and events, including the 1976 United Nations Conference on Human Settlements and the 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication. The 2010 Winter Olympics and 2010 Winter Paralympics will be held in Vancouver and nearby Whistler, a resort community 125 km (78 miles) north of the city.