British Columbia Population 2024
British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada. It is bordered to the west by the Pacific Ocean and the American state of Alaska, to the north by Yukon and the Northwest Territories, to the east by the province of Alberta, and to the south by the American states of Washington, Idaho, and Montana. British Columbia is Canada’s third most populous province and its Fifth-largest province by area. As per the Canada Census Bureau, the population of British Columbia in 2021 is 5,000,879 (5 million or 50 lakh)
Population of British Columbia in 2024 Q2 is 5,646,467 or 5.6 million
Source: Statistics Canada
Demography 2016-2021
British Columbia has a population growth rate of 7.6% during 2016-2021. It has had a population increase of 352,824 since 2016.
| British Columbia | Census 2021 |
| Total Population | 5,000,879 ( 5 milion) |
| Percentage Change since 2016 | 7.6% |
| Population Rank | 3rd |
| Total Land Area | 920,687 km2 (357,216 sq mi) |
| Area Rank | 5th |
| Population Density | 5.4/sq. km (13/sq mi) |
| Capital City | Victoria |
| Largest City | Vancouver |
Source: Statistics Canada
also read about the Canadian Population
British Columbia Historical Population
From 1851 to 2021, British Columbia experienced substantial demographic changes, characterized by periods of both steady and rapid population growth. In 1851, the population stood at 55,000, and by 2021, it had reached 5.2 million, reflecting an increase of 5 million people. Examining the percentage changes across decades, it is evident that British Columbia’s population saw significant fluctuations, with notable spikes in growth during the early 20th century and again in recent years. The most recent data shows a population growth rate of 7.6% from 2016 to 2021. These demographic trends, meticulously documented by Statistics Canada, provide insights into the historical and evolving population dynamics of British Columbia over the past 170 years.
| Census Year | Population | Absolute Change | Percentage Change % |
| 1851 | 55,000 | – | – |
| 1861 | 51,524 | -3,476 | -6.32 |
| 1871 | 36,247 | -15,277 | -29.65 |
| 1881 | 49,459 | 13,212 | 36.45 |
| 1891 | 98,173 | 48,714 | 98.49 |
| 1901 | 178,657 | 80,484 | 81.98 |
| 1911 | 392,480 | 213,823 | 119.68 |
| 1921 | 524,582 | 132,102 | 33.66 |
| 1931 | 694,263 | 169,681 | 32.35 |
| 1941 | 817,861 | 123,598 | 17.80 |
| 1951 | 1,165,210 | 347,349 | 42.47 |
| 1956 | 1,398,464 | 233,254 | 20.02 |
| 1961 | 1,629,082 | 230,618 | 16.49 |
| 1966 | 1,873,674 | 244,592 | 15.01 |
| 1971 | 2,184,620 | 310,946 | 16.60 |
| 1976 | 2,466,610 | 281,990 | 12.91 |
| 1981 | 2,744,467 | 277,857 | 11.26 |
| 1986 | 2,883,370 | 138,903 | 5.06 |
| 1991 | 3,282,061 | 398,691 | 13.83 |
| 1996 | 3,724,500 | 442,439 | 13.48 |
| 2001 | 3,907,738 | 183,238 | 4.92 |
| 2006 | 4,113,487 | 205,749 | 5.27 |
| 2011 | 4,400,057 | 286,570 | 6.97 |
| 2016 | 4,648,055 | 247,998 | 5.64 |
| 2021 | 5,000,879 | 352,824 | 7.6 |
Source: Statistics Canada
Population by Ethnicity
The ethnic origin most often reported in British Columbia was English, followed by Canadian, Scottish, Irish, German, Chinese, French, and Indian. In 2021, more than 1.7 million were identified as members of the visible minority population. Chinese were the single largest visible minority group, accounting for 11.20% of British Columbia’s total population. South Asians were second (10%), followed by Filipino, Korean and Japanese.
read more about Ethnic composition in British Columbia
Top cities in British Columbia by population
| # | City | Population (2021) |
| 1 | Vancouver | 650,380 |
| 2 | Surrey | 562,565 |
| 3 | Burnaby | 245,725 |
| 4 | Richmond | 208,395 |
| 5 | Abbotsford | 150,800 |
| 6 | Coquitlam | 147,465 |
| 7 | Kelowna | 141,755 |
| 8 | Delta | 102,238 |
| 9 | Nanaimo | 97,020 |
| 10 | Kamloops | 94,560 |
read about the Top Cities in British Columbia
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