Where Is Victoria BC Located?
Victoria is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada’s Pacific coast. The city has a about 100km from BC’s largest city of Vancouver on the mainland and 100km from Seattle.
How do I Get to Victoria?
From Seattle, the Victoria Clipper passenger-only ferry operates daily, year-round between Seattle and Victoria. From Port Angeles, Washington by Coho ferry 40 kilometres from across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. From Vancouver and the BC Lower Mainland, the Tsawwassen ferry connects to the Gulf Islands and the Swartz Bay ferry terminal, approximately 30km north of downtown Victoria. Travel time from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay is 1 hour and 35 minutes and BC Ferries provides frequent travel times on this route.
History of Victoria BC
Victoria is one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest, with British settlement beginning in 1843. The city has retains many of its historic buildings, including its iconic landmarks, the British Columbia Parliament Buildings and the Empress hotel. Chinatown is the second oldest Chinese settlement in North America after San Francisco’s. Victoria was named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and British North America.
Population of Victoria
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada, a current population of about 80,017. The metropolitan area of Greater Victoria has a population of 344,615, making it the 15th most populous Canadian urban region.
The city has a substantial, non-local student population attending the University of Victoria, Camosun College, Royal Roads University, the Victoria College of Art, the Sooke Schools International Programme and the Canadian College of Performing Arts.
What is Victoria Known For?
Victoria BC is known as “The Garden City” due to its year-round beauty. Victoria is in the top twenty world cities for quality-of-life, and the number two spot in Conde Nast’s Reader’s Choice award for “Best Cities in the World”
While the city is known to be a popular tourism destination, here’s a little-known fact: Victoria’s technology sector is now the largest revenue-generating private industry.
Boaters enjoy Victoria’s beautiful and rugged shorelines and beaches.
Retirees come to enjoy the temperate and usually snow-free climate of the area as well as the usually relaxed pace of the city.
Weather in Victoria
Victoria’s climate has a dry and rainy season. Nearly two-thirds of the annual precipitation falls during the four wettest months, November to February. Precipitation in December, the wettest month (109 mm) is nearly eight times as high as in July, the driest month (14 mm).
The rain shadow effect of the nearby Olympic Mountains ensure Victoria is the driest location on the British Columbia coast, with much lower rainfall than other nearby areas.
Average annual precipitation is just 608 mm (23.9 in) at the Gonzales weather station in Victoria compared with 1,589 mm (63 in) in Vancouver and 970 mm (38.2 in) in Seattle.
Victoria’s mild climate can support a variety of vegetation such as palm trees. Rare and exotic vegetation includes Lyall’s mariposa lily, tall bugbane, Scouler’s corydalis, and, of course, the only native oak species in B.C., the Garry Oak.