There are more different kinds of plants and animals here than in any other region of Canada. Although it does not contain the diversity of species of a tropical rain forest, the island's west coast does have the oldest and tallest trees in Canada: Western Red Cedars 1,300 years old and Douglas Firs over 90 metres high.From British Columbia to just east of the Alberta border the land is young, with rugged mountains and high plateaus. Its mountain ranges generally run north to south along three main belts: the Pacific Coast Ranges in the west, the Nevadan belt in the middle (including the Sierra Nevada), and the Laramide belt in the east (including the Rocky Mountains). This region is located in a large part of British Columbia, part of Alberta, Part of the Northwest Territories, and much of the Yukon territory. In between the mountains there are fertile valleys, lakes and rolling hills. The mild temperatures, good rainfall, and fertile soil make this area perfect for growing cranberries, strawberries, corn and other crops. On the North American continent, the westernmost physiographic region that extends from Mexico to Alaska is commonly called the Western Cordillera, Cordilleran region, or simply Cordillera. This cordillera is part of the North American Cordillera. ON the coast, there are deep harbours, sheltered waterways, and deltas. A "cordillera" is a chain of mountains, and there are many different chains of mountains in Canada's Cordillera region. The weather varies throughout the region - rainy (near the coast), hot and dry (some of the valleys are nearly deserts), or snowy (near the mountains). The Cordillera is located on the west coast of Canada and includes British Columbia, the Yukon, southwest Alberta and part of North West Territories.
The Canadian portion of this system includes the Rocky Mountains and the Coast Mountains . As you have seen in the other regions we have studied, resources were important to the First Nations people.
A "cordillera" is a chain of mountains, and there are many different chains of mountains in Canada's Cordillera region. The Okanagan (above) is famous for its fruit and wine.Forestry is a huge part of the economy in the Cordillera as it is famous for its large forests.The Cordillera is rich in many different types of minerals, making mining a large industry.The fisheries are a large part of the economy with fish from this region are famous around the world.Most of the people in the Cordillera live in extreme south lowlands [Vancouver] and southern plateau due to the warmer climate._______________________________________________________________Bathed by warm, moist Pacific air currents, the British Columbia coast, indented by deep fiords and shielded from the Pacific storms by Vancouver Island, has the most moderate climate of Canada's regions.Vancouver Island's west coast receives an exceptional amount of rain, giving it a temperate rain forest climate. The Cordillera is located on the west coast of Canada and includes British Columbia, the Yukon, southwest Alberta and part of North West Territories. It's coast is along the Pacific Ocean. Metals and diamonds where found in Cordillera. Because of the diversity of the languages, the Cordillera people informally set a meeting-point language, the Ilocano. The climate of the Cordillera's coast is mild, wet and rarely has snow that stays. Signs of geologically recent volcanic activity can be seen in Garibaldi Provincial Park in southern British Columbia and at Mount Edziza in the north.The British Columbia interior varies from alpine snowfields to deep valleys where desert-like conditions prevail.
The interior of the Cordillera is usually colder and dryer with larger amounts of snow.
