- Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Vancouver Tops > About Vancouver
About Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal city and major seaport located in the Lower Mainland of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Vancouver is named after Captain George Vancouver, a British explorer.
As of July 2009, the city's estimated population was 615,473 and that of the metropolitan area, 2,318,200. Vancouver is the largest metropolitan area in Western Canada and the third largest in the country, although as a municipality it is ranked eighth nationally. Vancouver is ethnically diverse, with 52% of city residents having a first language other than English.
Prior to the 1980s, the economy of Vancouver had traditionally relied on British Columbia's resource sectors: forestry, mining, fishing and agriculture. It has diversified over the past 30 years. Today its second largest industry, after forestry, is tourism, and it has become the third-largest film production centre in North America after Los Angeles and New York City, earning it the nickname Hollywood North.
Vancouver has been ranked as one of the most livable cities in the world and is a destination for many international conferences and events, including the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements in 1976 and the 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication.
A notable aspect of Vancouver's cityscape is its density. Vancouver's approach to planning is unique among North American cities, and has contributed to the city's high rankings in livability. This success has led to an urban planning movement known as Vancouverism, characterized by high-rise residential and mixed-use development in urban centres, as an alternative to sprawl.
Vancouver is known for having clean air, water, and a panoramic view of beautiful mountains. On the other hand, Vancouver has been ranked Canada's second most expensive city to live in after Toronto and the 89th most expensive globally.
The mild climate of the city and close proximity to ocean, mountains, rivers and lakes make the area a popular destination for outdoor recreation.
The city has several large beaches, many adjacent to one another, extending from the coast of Stanley Park to False Creek and on the south side of English Bay, from Kitsilano to the University Endowment Lands. The 18 kilometres (11 miles) of beaches include Second and Third Beaches in Stanley Park, English Bay (First Beach), Sunset, Kitsilano Beach, Jericho, Locarno, Spanish Bank, Spanish Bank Extension and Spanish Bank West. There is also a freshwater beach at Trout Lake. The coastline provides for many types of water sport, and the city is a popular destination for boating enthusiasts.