Columbia

(British,) a W. Prov. of the Dominion of Canada, between Lat. 49-55° N., Lon. 115-132° W. The Pacific and Queen Charlotte's Sound bound it on the W., the Rocky Mountains on the E., and Washington Ter. forms its S. frontier. Exclusive of Vancouver's Island, B. C. forms a tract of country 500 m. in length, and nearly 400 in breadth. The interior is traversed by 3 great ranges running parallel with the RockyMts., having rich valleys intervening, watered E. and W. by the Columbia and Fraser rivers respectively. The greater part of this country is uninhabited, and its interior but little known. It is, however, ascertained to be rich in minerals-gold, silver, copper, er, iron, coal, ., having been found in abundance. The capital is Victoria, in the island of Vancouver. The country is generally wooded, though there are extensive tracts of open prairie. The chief timber is Dougla pine, fir, cedar, hemlock, and Canadian poplar. Total pop. abt. 65,000, of which only abt. 20,000 are whites. [s. 208]