British Columbia

British Columbia is Canadas western border province. At its north be Yukon and the Northwest Territories sequence its northwesterly border is the U.S. State of Alaska.On its eastern border is another province, Alberta, and on the southern border are the U.S. States of Washington, Idaho, and Montana. It is the third largest province in Canada and encompasses 9.5 percent of the countrys total land area, which makes it around four times the size of Great Britain or more than twice as large as Japan. (Information on BC, 2006, par. 1)Physical geographyTopography. British Columbia boasts of great mountains. Its highest peak is Fairweather Mountain which is 4,663 meters high and its lowest is Hallam Peak which is just 3,205 meters high. (Statistics Canada, 2002) Vol pukeoes also abound in British Columbia although most are dormant. The largest of the seventeen volcanoes is Ruby Mountain and the smallest is called Mount Garibaldi.Water Forms. The Fraser River is one of the most important means of transportation in British Columbia because it directly flows to the Pacific sea nest. The provinces Columbia River is the location of 14 hydroelectric dams which is a major power source for its population. Other rivers that lead to the Pacific Ocean are Skeena and Kootenay while the Peace River drains toward the Arctic Ocean. British Columbia is also the host of many large natural lakes including the Babine, Atlin, Kootenay, Ootsa and Okanagan. (British Columbia, 2007, p. 1)Climate. The climate in British Columbia can vary depending on the areas location from the Pacific Ocean and the mountain ranges but the province is known for its mild temperature. Snow rarely go on the coast even during winter but the interior lands can experience very cold temperatures and snow between the months of November to March.The warmest days in summer can be experienced in the interior lands, most especially in the south with temperatures that can go further than 30C while the coast enjoys a temperature range of about 22 to 28C. (Climate and Weather, n.d., par. 1-4)Government and MunicipalitiesBritish Columbia espouses the parliamentary form of government headed by a Lieutenant Governor establish by the Canadian Governor-General. However, executive power truly emanates from the Premier who comes from the legislature branch because it is the position that appoints 20 ministers to the cabinet that maintains and makes the policies for the province.British Columbia has athe Legislative Assembly (unicameral legislature) which has 79 elected members with five-year terms. British Columbia is also represented by 36 members in Canadas House of Commons and has 6 senators all of whom are appointed by the Governor-General.