The Kootenay Region (in common parlance "The Kootenays") comprises the southeastern portion of British Columbia. It takes its name from the Kootenay River, which in turn was named for the Kutenai (Kinbasket) First Nation first encountered by explorer David Thompson. Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Splendour without diminishment) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Area 944,735 km² (5th)  - Land 925,186 km²  - Water 19,549 km² (2. ... The Kootenay River (spelled Kootenai River for its American portions) is the uppermost major tributary of the Columbia River, flowing through British Columbia, Montana and Idaho. ... Kootenai may refer to: The Kootenai River (or Kootenay River in Canada) of southeastern British Columbia in Canada and northern Idaho and western Montana in the United States The Kootenai tribe, a Native American tribe in British Columbia, Idaho and Montana, also Kutenai or Ktunaxa The Kootenai language of the... First Nations is the current title used by Canada to describe the various societies of the indigenous peoples, called Native Americans in the U.S. They have also been known as Indians, Native Canadians, Aboriginal Americans, Amer-Indians, or Aboriginals, and are officially called Indians in the Indian Act, which... There are several men named David Thompson: David Thompson: A Canadian explorer who was the first to travel the complete length of the Columbia River David Thompson: An American basketball player and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame David Thompson: An English football (soccer) player This is a disambiguation...

Boundaries

The Kootenays have no official boundaries, and some variation exists in terms of what areas are or are not a part. The strictest definition of the region is the drainage basin of the lower Kootenay River from its re-entry into Canada near Creston, through to its confluence with the Columbia at Castlegar. In most interpretations, however, the region also includes: The Kootenay River (spelled Kootenai River for its American portions) is the uppermost major tributary of the Columbia River, flowing through British Columbia, Montana and Idaho. ... Creston ( Lat. ... Castlegar is a small city in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia. ...

• an area to the east which encompasses the upper drainage basin of the Kootenay River from its rise in the Rocky Mountains to its passage into the U.S.A. at Newgate. This adds a region spanning from the Purcell Mountains to the Alberta border, and includes Rocky Mountain Trench communities such as Cranbrook and the southern Canadian Rockies in and around Fernie.
• an area to the southwest encompassing the Columbia's drainage from the Kootenay confluence south to the U.S. Border plus the Salmo River basin. This adds the communities of Rossland, Trail, Fruitvale and Salmo

Some or all of the following areas to the north, which drain the Columbia River, are also commonly included in the Kootenays: Rocky Mountain National Park (photo courtesy of NPS) The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range in western North America. ... The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America, the States, or (archaically) Columbia—is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii). ... Motto: Fortis et Liber (Strong and free) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Lieutenant Governor Norman Kwong Premier Ralph Klein (PC) Area 661,848 km² (6th)  - Land 642,317 km²  - Water 19,531 km² (2. ... Cranbrook, British Columbia is a city in the Canadian province of British Columbia, Canada located at a Latitude of 49°31 North and a Longitude 115°46 West. ... Wilcox Pass The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. ... The City of Fernie is located in the southeast corner of British Columbia, Canada, surrounded by the Canadian Rockies. ... Rossland is a quaint mountain town in the west Kootenay region of British Columbia. ... Trail as it appeared in 1908 Trail (49° 5′ 42″ N 117° 42′ 36″ W) is a town in the Kootenay region of the interior of British Columbia, Canada. ...

• The Arrow Lakes area, which adds Nakusp.
• The Upper Columbia Valley, which parallels the first section of the Kootenay River, including the communities of Invermere and Radium Hot Springs
• The Columbia drainage between the Kicking Horse Pass and the Rogers Pass, in and around the town of Golden.
• The Columbia drainage between the Rogers Pass and the Eagle Pass, in and around the town of Revelstoke.

When the above regions are added, sometimes the region's name is morphed into Columbia-Kootenay or Kootenay-Columbia. Invermere is a town in British Columbia, Canada, near the border with Alberta. ... Radium Hot Springs (50° 37′ 14″ N 116° 4′ 22″ W) is a town of approximately 500 people situated in the East Kootenays of British Columbia. ... The Kicking Horse Pass (elevation 1627 m) is a mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Canadian Rockies near the border between Alberta and British Columbia, and lying within Yoho and Banff National Parks. ... Rogers Pass is the pass (elevation 1330 m) through the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia used by the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Trans-Canada Highway. ... Categories: Stub | British Columbia communities ... Rogers Pass is the pass (elevation 1330 m) through the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia used by the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Trans-Canada Highway. ... For the city by the same name in Texas, see Eagle Pass, Texas Eagle Pass is a 550 m (1,804 ft) mountain pass through the Gold Range of the Monashee Mountains in British Columbia, Canada. ... Revelstoke was also the name of a well-known Canadian chain of hardware and home improvement stores, now known as Rona. ...

Finally, the Boundary district, a southern east-west corridor between the Okanagan and the Allison Pass, is often included in the Kootenays. In the event of its inclusion, the region could be described as the complete Canadian portion of the Columbia Basin minus lands drained by the Okanagan River. Map of the regional districts that the Okanagan covers The Okanagan is a region located in the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... The Columbia Basin is the large area of Canada and the United States that is drained by the Columbia River. ... The Okanogan River (called the Okanagan River in its upper reaches in Canada) is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 115 mi (185 km) long, in southern British Columbia in Canada and north central Washington in the United States. ...

Naming and Subdivision

Contingent on the above boundaries, the Kootenays are commonly split either into East and West, or East, Central and West.

• The usual East-West separator is the northward leg of the Kootenay River (mostly Kootenay Lake) with the Duncan River as a northern extension. This places Creston and points east in the East Kootenay (or East Kootenays) and Kaslo and points west in the West Kootenay (or West Kootenays)
• The usual East-Central-West separators are the Purcell Mountains splitting East from Central and the Selkirk Mountains splitting Central from West.

It remains unclear why both Kootenay and Kootenays are used somewhat interchangeably to describe the area. The plural form might be indicative of the term summing "East Kootenay" and "West Kootenay," except "East Kootenays" and "West Kootenays" also appear in local parlance, clouding the issue. This article needs cleanup. ... Creston ( Lat. ... The Selkirk Mountains are a mountain range originating in Idaho and Washington, and extending into SE British Columbia. ...

Economy

Originally settled by miners and foresters, the district now includes an important fruit growing section (Creston Valley) and numerous commercial centers, including Trail, Nelson, Cranbrook, Kimberley, Fernie, Castlegar, and Creston. Trail as it appeared in 1908 Trail (49° 5′ 42″ N 117° 42′ 36″ W) is a town in the Kootenay region of the interior of British Columbia, Canada. ... Nelson (49°30′ N 117°17′ W, PST) is a Canadian city of approximately 10,000 people in the province of British Columbia. ... Cranbrook, British Columbia is a city in the Canadian province of British Columbia, Canada located at a Latitude of 49°31 North and a Longitude 115°46 West. ... Kimberley is a small mining town in British Columbia, Canada, located in the southeastern tip of the province, along Highway 95A in between the Purcell and Rocky Mountains. ... The City of Fernie is located in the southeast corner of British Columbia, Canada, surrounded by the Canadian Rockies. ... Castlegar is a small city in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia. ... Creston ( Lat. ...

See also

• Kootenay National Park
• Kootenai disambiguation page