Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island is an insular province of Canada located off the west coast of the country's mainland, separated from the province of British Columbia by the Strait of Georgia. It includes the namesake main island, home to the majority of the provincial population, as well as several smaller islands in the strait as well as the Haida Gwaii archipelago to the north (formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands). Victoria, located at the southern end of the main island, is the capital city of the province as well as its most populous municipality. Vancouver Island is the only island province on Canada's west coast. The province is home to just over 1.8 million people, 95% of whom reside on the main island and at least 50% of whom live in and around Victoria. The backbone of the province's economy is primarily fishing and farming, with the province accounting for almost half of Pacific Canada's dairy and seafood output.