British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, forests, lakes, mountains, inland deserts, and grassy plains. British Columbia borders the province of Alberta to the east; the territories of Yukon and Northwest Territories to the north; the US states of Washington, Idaho, and Montana to the south; and Alaska to the northwest. With an estimated population of 5.68 million as of 2025, it is Canada's third-most populous province. The capital of British Columbia is Victoria, while the province's largest city is Vancouver.
First scheduled transcontinental passenger train reaches Port Moody, British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged...
Historical Significance
British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada.
Events Before
King Leopold II of Belgium establishes the Congo as his personal colonial possession
From 1885 to 1908, many atrocities were committed in the Congo Free State (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo) under the absolute rule of King Leopold II of Belgium.
Mark Twain publishes "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" in the US
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a picaresque novel by American author Mark Twain that was first published in the United Kingdom in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885.
Berlin Conference gives Congo to Belgium and Nigeria to the United Kingdom
From 1885 to 1908, many atrocities were committed in the Congo Free State (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo) under the absolute rule of King Leopold II of Belgium.
W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan's comic opera "The Mikado" premieres in London at the Savoy Theatre
The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre was designed by C. J.
American socialite Edith Jones (23) weds American businessman Edward Robbins Wharton (35), at the Trinity Chapel, New Yo
American socialite Edith Jones (23) weds American businessman Edward Robbins Wharton (35), at the Trinity Chapel, New York City, becoming Edith Wharton; divorce in 1913
Events After
Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Otello" premieres at La Scala Teatro in Milan, Italy, Verdi's first new opera for over 15 years
Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Otello" premieres at La Scala Teatro in Milan, Italy, Verdi's first new opera for over 15 years
Anne Sullivan begins teaching 6-year-old blind-deaf Helen Keller
Anne Sullivan begins teaching 6-year-old blind-deaf Helen Keller
Business magnate Andrew Carnegie (51) weds Louise Whitfield (30) in NYC, New York
Business magnate Andrew Carnegie (51) weds Louise Whitfield (30) in NYC, New York
"Europe's first motoring competition" is 'won' by The Marquis de Dion on a steam-powered quadricycle built by French toy
"Europe's first motoring competition" is 'won' by The Marquis de Dion on a steam-powered quadricycle built by French toymaker and engineer Georges Bouton; French newspaper Le Velocipede organized the 'test', and Bouton was the only participant
Yellow River or Huáng Hé floods in China, killing between 900,000 and 2 million people, one of the deadliest natural dis
Yellow River or Huáng Hé floods in China, killing between 900,000 and 2 million people, one of the deadliest natural disasters in history
More from the 1880s
The National Geographic Society is founded in Washington, D.C., to promote "the increase and diffusion of geographic kno
The National Geographic Society is founded in Washington, D.C., to promote "the increase and diffusion of geographic knowledge" [1]
The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, begins service at Roselle, New Jers
The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, begins service at Roselle, New Jersey
American painter Thomas Eakins (40) weds American painter and photographer Susan Macdowell (32) in a Quaker ceremony in
American painter Thomas Eakins (40) weds American painter and photographer Susan Macdowell (32) in a Quaker ceremony in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, until his death in 1916
Abolitionist Frederick Douglass marries his second wife suffragist Helen Pitts
Abolitionist Frederick Douglass marries his second wife suffragist Helen Pitts
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened on July 4, 1886?
- British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, forests, lakes, mountains, inland deserts, and grassy plains. British Columbia borders the province of Alberta to the east; the territories of Yukon and Northwest Territories to the north; the US states of Washington, Idaho, and Montana to the south; and Alaska to the northwest.
- Why is First scheduled transcontinental passenger train reaches Port Moody, British ... significant?
- British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada.