NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Okanagan Valley

The Okanagan is a region located in the Canadian province of British Columbia. As of the year 2001, the region's population is approximately 297,601. The primary city is Kelowna. The name derives from an Okanagan First Nations word S-Ookanhkchinx meaning "Transport toward the head or top end". The region is known for outdoor activities such as skiing and hiking as well as for the wine industry. A region can be any area that has some unifying feature. ... Canada consists of ten provinces and three territories. ... 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. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Locator map for Kelowna, BC Kelowna (2001 population 96,288, metropolitan population 147,739) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. ... 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...

The name Okanogan also refers to the region that encompasses part of northern Washington State. Okanogan County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... This article deals with the U.S. state. ...

History

The Okanagan Valley was home to First Nations people for thousands of years before others arrived. The Okanagan Nation, an Interior Salish people who lived in the valley from the head of Okanagan Lake downstream to near the river's confluence with the Columbia River in present-day Washington State, as well as in the neighbouring Similkameen Valley, numbered in the thousands (no precise figure is known) at the time of contact with European settlers. They were hunter-gatherers, living off wild game and berries and roots for the most part but travelling north or south to fish salmon runs or to trade with other nations. Okanagan Lake is a lake in the Okanagan Valley. ... Columbia River Gorge, Washington or North side The Columbia River is the largest river in volume flowing into the Pacific Ocean from North America. ... In anthropology, the hunter-gatherer way of life is that led by certain societies of the Neolithic Era based on the exploitation of wild plants and animals. ... The salmon run is the time at which salmon swim back up the rivers in which they were born to spawn and die. ...

In 1811 came the first non-natives to the Okanagan Valley, a fur trading expedition voyaging north out of Fort Okanogan, a Pacific Fur Company outpost at the confluence of the Okanagan and Columbia rivers. Within fifteen years, fur traders established a route through the valley for passing goods between the Thompson region and the Columbia River for transport to the Pacific. The trade route lasted until 1846, when the Oregon Treaty laid down the border between British North America and the United States west of the Rocky Mountains on the 49th parallel. The new border cut across the valley. To avoid paying tariffs, British traders forged a route that bypassed Fort Okanogan, following the Thompson and Fraser rivers to Fort Langley instead. The Okanagan Valley did not see many more outsiders for a decade afterward. 1811 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The fur trade was a huge part in the early economic development of North America. ... The Pacific Fur Company was founded by John Jacob Astor on June 23, 1810, as a subsidiary of his American Fur Company. ... The Thompson River is a major tributary of the Fraser River in the south-central portion of British Columbia, Canada. ... 1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The 1846 Oregon Treaty, formally titled Treaty with Great Britain, in Regard to Limits Westward of the Rocky Mountains, established the border between the British and American sections of the Oregon Country. ... British North America originally comprised all British colonies and territories on the North American continent, from Georgia to Labrador and Ruperts Land. ... Rocky Mountain National Park (photo courtesy of NPS) The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range in western North America. ... A tariff is a tax placed on imported and/or exported goods, sometimes called a customs duty. ... For other rivers with this name see Fraser River (disambiguation) The Fraser River is the longest river in British Columbia, Canada, rising in the Rocky Mountains near Mount Robson and flowing for 1400 km (870 mi), into the Pacific Ocean at the city of Vancouver. ...

In 1859, the first European settlers arrived when Father Charles Pandosy led the making of an Oblate mission where Kelowna is now. In the decades that followed, hundreds of ranchers came from all directions to settle on Okanagan Lake. The Fraser Canyon Gold Rush of 1858 drove more settlement as some prospectors from the United States took the old Okanagan trade route on their way to the Fraser Canyon. A few staked claims around the Okanagan and Similkameen valleys and found gold and copper in places. A mining industry began in the southern Okanagan region, and more farmers, as well as a small service industry, came to meet the needs of the miners. 1859 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... Seal of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, a religious order of the Roman Catholic Church. ... 1858 is a common year starting on Friday. ... The Fraser Canyon is a canyon in the Fraser Categories: British Columbia geography | Geography stubs ...

Fruit production is a hallmark of the Okanagan Valley today, but the industry began with difficulty. Commercial orcharding of apples was first tried there in 1892, but a series of setbacks prevented the major success of commercial fruit crops until the 1920s. But until the 1930s, the demand for shipping fruit and other goods did drive a need for the sternwheeler steamboats that serviced Okanagan Lake: the S.S. Aberdeen from 1886 and then the S.S. Sicamous and S.S. Naramata from 1914. The Sicamous and Naramata survive as a tourist attraction in Penticton. 1892 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Paddle steamers - Lucerne-Switzerland Left: original paddlewheel from a paddle steamer on the lake of Lucerne. ... 1886 is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) Events January 18 _ Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. ... 1914 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Penticton is a city in south central British Columbia between Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake. ...

While the last half-century has grown several resource-based enterprises in the region, for instance forestry in Princeton, the fastest-growing industries in the Okanagan today are tourism and retirement accommodation. Advantaged by its sunny climate, lakes, and winery attractions, the valley has become a hot destination for vacationers and retirees. Princeton is a small town in the Okanagan-Similkameen region of British Columbia, Canada. ... A tourist boat travels the River Seine in Paris, France Tourism can be defined as the act of travel for the purpose of recreation, and the provision of services for this act. ... Retirement is the status of a worker who has stopped working. ... A winery is a facility where fruit, usually grapes, is processed into wine. ...

Geography

According to StatsCan, the region has a total area of 20,829 km² (8,042 mi²) which is roughly 2/3rds the size of Belgium. Photograph of Okanagan Lake, taken by Roleypolinde File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Photograph of Okanagan Lake, taken by Roleypolinde File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Locator map for Kelowna, BC Kelowna (2001 population 96,288, metropolitan population 147,739) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. ... Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government bureau commissioned with gathering and analysing statistics about Canada. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... This article is about the unit of measure. ...

Geographic Features

Okanagan Lake is a lake in the Okanagan Valley. ... Kalamalka Lake is named for the Okanagan (Okonogan U.S. spelling) Indian chief who occupied its northern shores, although many believe (incorrectly) that it means (lake of) many colours in the Okanagan Language. ... Wood Lake may refer to: Wood Lake, Nebraska Wood Lake, Minnesota This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Major Highways

British Columbia provincial highway 97C, the Okanagan Connector, forms part of an important link between the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan valley around Kelowna. ... British Columbia provincial highway 97 is the longest continuously-numbered route in the province, going for 2,081 km all the way from the Canada/U.S. border in the south to the British Columbia/Yukon border in the north. ...

Adjacent Regions

(also shares northern border with Washington State, USA) Thompson Nicola is a region in the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... The Kootenay Region (in common parlance The Kootenays) comprises the southeastern portion of British Columbia. ... The Lower Mainland is the name that residents of British Columbia apply to the region surrounding the City of Vancouver. ... This article deals with the U.S. state. ...

Communities

Armstrong is located in the North Okanagan of British Columbia between Vernon and Enderby. ... Enderby is located in North Okanangan British Columbia. ... Locator map for Kelowna, BC Kelowna (2001 population 96,288, metropolitan population 147,739) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. ... Oliver is a small town found in the Okanagan Valley in southern British Columbia. ... Osoyoos, British Columbia Osoyoos is a small town in the Okanagan Valley on British Columbias southern border with Washington state. ... Peachland is a small town of about 5000 people in the Okanagan Valley, on the west side of Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, Canada. ... Penticton is a city in south central British Columbia between Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake. ... Summerland (1996 population 10,584) is a town on the west side of Okanagan Lake in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. ... Vernon City in the central region of British Columbia called Okanagan at the north end of Okanagan Lake and Kalamalka Lake. ...

Demographics

The population of the region was 297,601 as of the 2001 Census. There were 154,010 Females (51%) and 143,590 Males (49%). The population is relatively older with a median age of 42.5, compared with the provincial average of 39.

References

Regions and Regional Districts of British Columbia
BC Regions: Nechako \| North Coast \| Peace River \| Cariboo \| Lower Mainland \| Vancouver Island/Sunshine Coast \| Okanagan \| Thompson Nicola \| Kootenays 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. ... British Columbia flag, with official proportions This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... The Cariboo is a region of British Columbia along a plateau stretching from the Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Mountains. ... The Lower Mainland is the name that residents of British Columbia apply to the region surrounding the City of Vancouver. ... Thompson Nicola is a region in the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... The Kootenay Region (in common parlance The Kootenays) comprises the southeastern portion of British Columbia. ...
BC Regional Districts: Alberni-Clayoquot \| Bulkley-Nechako \| Capital \| Cariboo \| Central Coast \| Central Kootenay \| Central Okanagan \| Columbia-Shuswap \| Comox-Strathcona \| Cowichan Valley \| East Kootenay \| Fraser Valley \| Fraser-Fort George \| Greater Vancouver \| Kitimat-Stikine \| Kootenay Boundary \| Mount Waddington \| Nanaimo \| North Okanagan \| Northern Rockies \| Okanagan-Similkameen \| Peace River \| Powell River \| Skeena-Queen Charlotte \| Squamish-Lillooet \| Stikine \| Sunshine Coast \| Thompson-Nicola The Canadian Province of British Columbia is divided into Regional Districts, analogous to counties in other jurisdictions. ... Categories: Regional districts of British Columbia \| Geographic regions of British Columbia \| Canada-place stubs ... The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN) is a regional district in the Canadian province of British Columbia, Canada. ... Categories: Regional districts of British Columbia \| Geographic regions of British Columbia \| Canada-place stubs ... The Cariboo Regional District spans the towns of Quesnel, Williams Lake, 100 Mile House, and Wells in the central interior of British Columbia. ... Categories: Regional districts of British Columbia \| Geographic regions of British Columbia \| Canada geography stubs ... The Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) is a regional district in the Canadian province of British Columbia, Canada. ... The Columbia-Shuswap Regional District is located in the heart of the southern interior region of British Columbia, on the Trans-Canada Highway between Vancouver and Calgary. ... The Comox-Strathcona Regional District of British Columbia is on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island and part of the Mainland north of the Sunshine Coast. ... The Cowichan Valley Regional District of British Columbia is on the southern part of Vancouver Island, bordered by the Nanaimo and Alberni-Clayoquot Regional Districts to the north and northwest, and by the Capital Regional District to the south and east. ... Categories: Regional districts of British Columbia \| Geographic regions of British Columbia \| Canada geography stubs ... The Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) is a regional district in British Columbia, Canada. ... Motto: Building a sustainable region Area: 2,878. ... Categories: Regional districts of British Columbia \| Geographic regions of British Columbia \| Canada geography stubs ... The Regional District of Nanaimo is a regional local government located on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. ... The Regional District of Powell River includes the District Municipality of Powell River and a number of unincorporated areas. ... Squamish-Lillooet is a regional district in British Columbia, Canada. ... Stikine Region is the northwesternmost Regional District in the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... The Sunshine Coast Regional District of British Columbia is located on the southern mainland coast, across the Jaun de Fuca Strait from Vancouver Island. ...