Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island is an island that is part of the province of British Columbia, Canada. Its area is . The island is in the south-western part of the province and is named after the British explorer George Vancouver.

The first people to live on the island, before the Europeans came, were the Nuu-chah-nulth, the Salish, and the 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, whichcarry people and cars to and from the island. One route crosses the Strait of Georgia to the Tsawwassen Peninsula,from roads 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 is Victoria, the capital of British Columbia.

Other settlements on Vancouver Island include the following:
 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

Category:Islands of Canada
Category:Geography of British Columbia
Category:Pacific islands