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British Columbia
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Name
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At one time, British Columbia was known as New Caledonia in the North and Columbia in the South. To avoid confusion with Colombia in South America, and the island of New Caledonia in the Pacific, Queen Victoria Changed the name to British Columbia in 1858.
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Flag
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The flag of British Columbia was adopted in 1960. It has a design similar to that of the shield of the province's coat of arms.
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Coat of Arms
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The coat of arms of British Columbia was originally adopted in 1906 and was revised in 1987. Its royal lion, crown, and Union Jack all symbolize the provinces link to Britain. The wavy blue bars represent the pacific ocean. The setting sun represents the province's location as the most western province. The elk and the sheep are animals found in the province.
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Capital city: Victoria
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Joined confederation: 20 July, 1871
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Official motto: Splendor Sine Occasu - Splendor Without Diminishment
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Area: 944,735 square kilometres
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Percent of Canada's area: 9.46 percent
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Population: 3,907,738 people
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Population density: 4.2 people per square kilometre
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Percent of Canada's population: 13.02 percent
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Official flower: Pacific Dogwood
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Official bird: Steller's Jay
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Official tree: Western Red Cedar
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