Thoughts From a "Lost Canadian" On the Unique Things About British Columbia

Since the middle of April when I learned I am a "Lost Canadian", it matters to me to know all I can about Canada. While I have learned many things,  there clearly are a great many things I still do not know and have yet to learn. Today I'm sharing some of the unique things I've learned online about the Canadian Province of  British Columbia . . .

British Columbia is Canada’s westernmost province. It spans 944,735 square kilometers and features a massive 27,000-kilometer indented coastline, mild Pacific weather, and dramatic mountain ranges that create unique ecosystems found nowhere else in the country. 

Rare Nature and Wildlife

The Spirit Bear: The Great Bear Rainforest is the only place on Earth home to the Kermode bear, a rare white-furred variant of the North American black bear. 
Inland Temperate Rainforest: BC holds the world’s only wet, snow-dominated inland temperate rainforest, located far from the ocean in the interior valleys. 
Extreme Weather Shifts: The town of Lytton recorded Canada's all-time high temperature at 49.6°C (121.3°F), contrasting sharply with the snowy alpine peaks nearby.

History & Culture

• First Nations Peoples: British Columbia was inhabited by the greatest number of distinct First Nations of any province or territory in Canada. There are more than 200 First Nations in BC.
• Contested by Russia & Spain: Unlike Eastern Canada, where the French and English disputed control of the land, the first two countries to contest areas of British Columbia were Spain and Russia. 

• Prized Mineral: Jade became British Columbia’s official mineral emblem in 1968. Consisting mostly of nephrite, jade is prized by carvers of fine jewelry and sculptures at home, particularly in Asia. It is mined in many parts of British Columbia.

Quirky Records and Geography

Longest Free Ferry: The Kootenay Lake Ferry provides the longest free public ferry transport in the world between Balfour and Kootenay Bay. 
PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola: Whistler Blackcomb hosts the world’s highest and longest unsupported cable car span, hanging 436 meters above the valley floor.
Giant Hockey Stick: The town of Duncan displays a massive 62.48-meter hockey stick built for the 1986 World Exposition.

There is SO much more to know, discover, and most certainly love about British Columbia, Canada, and you will find much of it at this link and this link. (Images from Canada.ca)