Flag of British Columbia

What the flag looks like

The upper part shows the Union Jack with a gold crown at its center; below, a gold sun sets behind wavy blue and white horizontal bands.

What it means

The Union Jack and crown recall the province's British origins, the waves stand for the Pacific Ocean, and the setting sun marks British Columbia as Canada's westernmost province.

How to remember it

British Columbia puts the Union Jack on top and a sun setting into the Pacific below; Kiribati has the same sun and waves but a red sky with a frigatebird instead.

Fun facts

• The provincial motto, "Splendor sine occasu" ("Splendour without diminishment"), plays on the setting sun shown on the arms and flag.
• Queen Victoria chose the name "British Columbia" for the new colony in 1858.

British Columbia at a glance

Type

Province

Joined Confederation

1871

Capital

Victoria

Region

Western Canada

Population

5.0 million

Area

944,735 km²

Languages

English

Currency

Canadian dollar ($)

Flag adopted

1960

Flags often confused with British Columbia

• Kiribati: British Columbia and Kiribati both show a gold sun over wavy blue and white bands. British Columbia has the Union Jack and a crown across the top; Kiribati has a red sky with a gold frigatebird.