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While the term ''Lower Mainland'' has been recorded from the earliest period of non-native settlement in British Columbia, it has never been officially defined in legal terms. However, the term has historically been in popular usage for over a century to describe a region that extends from (Gibsons, Sechelt, Roberts Creek, etc.) extending to Powell River, British Columbia (''see next section''). LOWER MAINLAND ECOREGION See Also: Lower Mainland Ecoregion "Lower Mainland" is also the name of an Ecoregion — a biogeoclimatic region — that comprises the eastern part of the Georgia Depression and extends from Powell River, British Columbia on the Sunshine Coast to Hope at the eastern end of the Fraser Valley . The Lower Mainland Ecoregion is a part of the Pacific Maritime Ecozone Environment Canada "Narrative Descriptions of Terrestrial Ecozones and Ecoregions of Canada" . Accessed 2006-06-08. The provincial Ministry of Environment bases its Lower Mainland Region on this ecoregion, rather than on the traditional Lower Mainland alone. REGIONAL DISTRICTS AND FIRST NATIONS TERRITORIES Today, the ''Lower Mainland'' includes two (GVRD), and the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD). The Greater Vancouver Regional District is made up of 21 municipalities (''see below,'' Communities In The Lower Mainland ). The Greater Vancouver Regional District is bordered on the west by the Strait Of Georgia , to the north by the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District , on the east by the Fraser Valley Regional District, and to the south by Whatcom County, Washington in the United States . The traditional territories of the Musqueam and Tsleil'waututh lie completely within the GVRD; the southern portion of Squamish First Nation traditional territory is also in the GVRD — its claims overlap those of the Tsleil-waututh and Musqueam (and also, therefore, the Sto:lo). The Fraser Valley Regional District lies east of the GVRD, comprises the cities of , at the head of Harrison Lake which is in In-SHUCK-ch territory. POPULATION According to the 2001 census there were 2,209,080 people living in the communities of the Lower Mainland, of whom:
The population in the Greater Vancouver Regional District is up 8.5% from the 1996 Census figures. For the population of the cities within the GVRD, see Municipalities In The Greater Vancouver Regional District . NATURAL THREATS Flooding The Lower Mainland is considered to have a high vulnerability to Flood risk. There have been two major floods, the largest in 1894 and the second largest in 1948. According to the Fraser Basin Council , scientists predict a one-in-three chance of a similar-sized flood occurring in the next 50 years. |
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