Study abroad in Vancouver

More about Vancouver, Canada

2.3 million people live in the greater metropolitan area of Vancouver, Canada, which offers great shopping, exciting sports events, gourmet restaurants, and top entertainment. The population of Vancouver is extremely diverse, as the development of the city has been influenced over the years by various cultures including Japanese, Indian, First Nations Tribes, Chinese, and Italian.

Bands of Indians who crossed the Bering Land Bridge were the first people to settle the land where Vancouver now stands. When the Spanish arrived in the New World thousands of years later, they claimed the entire west coast of North America, including this area. Vancouver city grew out of a logging sawmill called Gastown in 1867. From this sawmill, the town of Granville arose, and was renamed Vancouver in 1886 after an English captain who discovered the area years after the Spanish. When the transcontinental railroad reached Vancouver, the city became an important seaport for traffic to Asia, and is now the biggest port in Canada.

Although Vancouver provides an endless array of events and activity, the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest calls and is within easy access from the city. The great outdoors of Vancouver Island is just a short boat ride away. And excellent skiing can be found close to Vancouver in the Canadian Rockies and Whistler Resort, where the 2010 Winter Olympics were held.

Weather in Vancouver is often rainy, but changes often, and temperatures are usually quite mild for Canada, as winter temperatures usually stay about freezing. Vancouver’s 2 largest industries are forestry and tourism, and the city has consistently been ranked as one of the most livable cities in the world, and attracts thousands of visitors each year. As Canada’s fastest growing region, Vancouver has so much to see and do for students pursuing their education.