Welcome to the City of Vancouver - Host City of the 2010 Winter Games
Bordered by the Coast Mountain Range and the Pacific Ocean, Vancouver is recognized as one of the world's most livable cities 
with one of the smallest carbon footprints of any major city in North America.
The City of Vancouver is renowned for its innovative programs in the areas of sustainability, accessibility and inclusivity. In February 2009, Mayor Gregor Robertson launched the Greenest City initiative with a goal to map out how we can earn the title of becoming the greenest city by 2020.
In February and March 2010, Vancouver hosted the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games with great enthusiasm. For Vancouver, the benefits of hosting the world will continue with memories to last a lifetime, but also leave Vancouver with Olympic-quality sports facilities, public transit, green buildings and arts and culture – legacies that residents and visitors alike will enjoy and appreciate for many years to come.
If you are planning on visiting Vancouver, please view our visitors page. View maps, photos and videos of Vancouver.
Facts about Vancouver
Population/ Climate l Business/ Economy l History l City Government l Awards l Parks
Population/ Climate
Latitude: N 49º 16’ 36” / Longitude: W 123º 07’ 15”
Vancouver is the eighth largest city in Canada with a population of 578,000 (2006 census) and has one of the mildest climates in Canada with temperatures averaging around 3 degrees celsius in January and 18 degrees celsius in July. It covers 114.7 sq km (44.3 sq miles), and is part of Metro Vancouver, the third largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a population of 2.1 million (2006 census). The percentage of Vancouver residents whose first language is English is 49.1 per cent and Chinese is 25.3 per cent.
Vancouver population, housing, employment and transportation statistics
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Business/ Economy
Vancouver has Canada's largest and most diversified port, trading $75 billion in goods annually. It is home to a variety of different industries, including the mining, forest, biotech, film and software industries. Vancouver's unemployment rate is 6 per cent and it median household income (2006) is $47,299.
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History
Archaeological evidence shows that the Coast Salish people had settled the Vancouver area by 500 BC. In the 1870s, Vancouver was founded as a sawmill settlement called Granville. And in 1886, the city was incorporated and renamed Vancouver after Captain George Vancouver, a British naval captain who explored the area in 1792. Three months later, on June 13, 1886, a devastating fire destroyed most of the city, but the community was soon rebuilt and prospered.
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City Government
The City of Vancouver is governed by Mayor Gregor Robertson and 10 Councillors, all who serve a three-year term. In the province of British Columbia, the City of Vancouver is governed by a provincial statute called the Vancouver Charter
Vancouver's sister cities include Los Angeles, Guangzhou, Yokohama, Edinburgh and Odessa
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Awards
The City of Vancouver and its staff have won numerous awards for its ingenuity and leadership in various programs and activities.
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Parks
Vancouver has more than 200 diverse parks, but Vancouver's most famous park is Stanley Park. One of the largest urban parks in the world at 3.9 square kilometers, with 150 year old forest, 8.85 kilometers of seawall, and many popular attractions.
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