Vancouver Island

A map of Vancouver Island, showing the location of Vancouver and Victoria.

Vancouver Island is an island that is part of the province of British Columbia in Canada. It is 31,285 square kilometres (12,079 sq mi) big and is in the south-western part of the province. The island is named after George Vancouver.

The first people to live on the island, before Europeans came, were the Nuu-chah-nulth, Salish, and Kwakiutl. As of 2009, over 700,000 people live here.

There are no bridges or tunnels between Vancouver Island and the mainland. There are ferries that carry people and cars to and from the island. One route crosses the Strait of Georgia to the Tsawwassen peninsula, from which there are roads that go to Vancouver and other cities in Canada as part of the Trans-Canada Highway. Another ferry route crosses the Strait of Juan de Fuca and reaches Anacortes in the U.S. state of Washington, from which roads go to Seattle and other cities along the West Coast.

Cities and towns

There are many cities and towns on Vancouver Island. The biggest of these is Victoria, the capital of British Columbia.

Other places on Vancouver Island where people live include:

• Lake Cowichan
• Nanaimo
• Courtenay
• Comox
• Duncan
• Crofton
• Port Alberni
• Ladysmith
• Chemainus
• Port Hardy
• Parksville
• Cumberland
• Tofino
• Uclulet
• Colwood
• Sidney
• Qualicum Beach
• Coombs
• Port McNeill
• Campbell River