不列颠哥伦比亚

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不列颠哥伦比亚(British Columbia)

加拿大最西部一省，人口约4,029,253（1999），西临太平洋和美国阿拉斯加州，北接育空和西北地区，东连亚伯达省，南邻美国西北部。省会维多利亚。原由印第安原住民居住，如沿海萨利什人（Coast Salish）、努特卡人、夸扣特尔人和海达人等。1578年德雷克最先发现此地，1778年科克在探勘西北航道时也经过此地。1792～1794年温哥华（George Vancouver）船长探测了沿海地区，後来有一些探险家作了几次陆地的考察，如麦肯齐、路易斯、克拉克和弗雷泽。英国人和美国人曾为温哥华岛争议多年，直至划归英国为止，1849年设为皇家殖民地。1858年此片大陆地区成为不列颠哥伦比亚殖民地。1871年与温哥华一起加入加拿大，成为不列颠哥伦比亚省。该省现在繁荣的经济基础植基於各种丰富资源，包括林业、采矿业、农业和航运业。

English version：

British Columbia

Province (pop., 1996: 3,933,000), western Canada. It is bounded by Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories, Alberta, the Pacific Ocean, and the U.S. (including Alaska); its capital is Victoria. The area was inhabited by indigenous peoples, including Coast Salish, Nootka, Kwakiutl, and Haida. It was visited in 1578 by Sir Francis Drake and in 1778 by Capt. James Cook, who was searching for the Northwest Passage. Capt. George Vancouver surveyed the coast (1792-94), and overland expeditions were made by several explorers, including Alexander Mackenzie, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, and Simon Fraser. The British and Americans contended over Vancouver Island for years, until it was recognized as British and made a crown colony in 1849. The mainland became the Colony of British Columbia in 1858; with the colony of Vancouver, it joined Canada in 1871 as the province of British Columbia. The province now has a prosperous economy based on diverse sources, including logging, mining, agriculture, and shipping.