The Aboriginal population of British Columbia, which began to decline with the arrival of the first European settlers, is enjoying new strength. This new energy coincides with a renaissance in Aboriginal cultural and artistic expression. Nearly 60 percent live in Vancouver and Victoria, the province's capital. Vancouver, the largest dry cargo port on the Pacific coast of North America, is home to more than two million people, which makes it the third largest city in Canada. The economy is based on the province's great natural resources, primarily its vast forests, which cover 56 percent of its total area.
Tourism is the next most important economic sector.
Each year, about 22 million people visit British Columbia. With over five million hectares of parkland, the Rocky Mountains remain the province's most popular attraction. Coastal British Columbia, with its beaches, hiking trails, artists' colonies, wildlife reserves, whale-sighting locales and other attractions, is not far behind. Of increasing attraction to visitors are the Queen Charlotte Islands, large parts of which have recently been set aside as parkland. The area contains untouched wilderness and unique species of flora.