Occupying a picturesque site near the Coast Mountains, Vancouver is a cosmopolitan center with numerous large buildings. Among those considered to have special architectural merit are Robson Square and the Provincial Court House, designed by local architect Arthur Erickson; Cathedral Place; and the Vancouver Public Library, designed by 20th-century architect Moshe Safdie. Older buildings of note include the art deco Marine Building (1929-1930) and the “Chateau Style” Hotel Vancouver (1928-1939). Other points of interest include Granville Island, a former industrial-warehouse district in False Creek, converted into a mix of buildings for commercial, cultural, and artistic uses and anchored by a public market; the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens; Chinatown, the traditional center of one of the largest Chinese communities in North America; and Gastown, a restoration of an old section of the city dating from the late 19th century.

The city is a regional, national, and international hub. The Light Rapid Transit SkyTrain, opened in 1986, shuttles commuters and other passengers between the city core and as far away as Surrey. In addition, a ferry (the SeaBus) links the city core with the north shore of Burrard Inlet, and bus services run through all parts of the metropolitan area. Vancouver is the terminus of two trans-Canada railroads and of the British Columbia Railroad that runs north through the Coast Mountains to the Prince George and Peace River districts. The Trans-Canada Highway connects Vancouver to other Canadian cities to the north and east. Ferries carry passengers between Vancouver and Vancouver Island. Vancouver International Airport, serving provincial, national, and foreign destinations, is Canada’s second busiest (after Pearson International in Toronto).

Beyond the city boundary to the east lie the communities of Burnaby, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, and New Westminster; beyond them, an outer suburb, Surrey. South of the Fraser River’s north arm is Richmond, and Delta lies across the main channel. North Vancouver and West Vancouver lie across Burrard Inlet. Together, these areas (and other smaller municipalities) make up the Vancouver metropolitan area.

From 1961 to 1996, the population of the Vancouver Census Metropolitan Area more than doubled, from 827,000 to 1,831,665. Between 1991 and 1996, the city’s population grew 8.9 percent and metropolitan growth rates exceeded 14 percent. Since 1981, the population of Greater Vancouver has grown faster than that of British Columbia as a whole, with immigration from East Asian countries contributing a large segment of this growth.

The city of Vancouver contains many parks. Stanley Park (400 hectares), located on the tip of the peninsula separating Burrard Inlet from English Bay, contains the Vancouver Aquarium. Vanier Park, located on the southern entrance to False Creek, contains the Vancouver Museum, the H. R. MacMillan Planetarium, the Vancouver City Archives, and the Maritime Museum. Winter sports are popular at Grouse Mountain, which is located 13 km north of downtown, and boating is popular in the waters surrounding the city.

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