Nanaimo is British Columbian city, located in the east coast of Vancouver Island. Due to the city’s original layout design, it was commonly known as the “Hub City”. However, Nanaimo is now commonly known as “the Harbor City”. The city of Nanaimo is the headquarters of the Regional District of Nanaimo. It was established in 1874 and originally inhabited by the Snuneymuxw. As a matter of fact, the city’s name is the anglicized speaking and pronunciation of the word “Snuneymuxw”.
Based on the 2016 Canadian population census, Nanaimo has a population of 90,504, making it the 62nd most populated city in Canada. Furthermore, it has a land area of 91.30 square kilometers and a population density of 918 per square kilometers. Nanaimo metropolitan area is ranked as the 35th most populated metropolitan area in Canada with a population of 104,936. The metropolitan area has a land area of 1,280.84 square kilometers and a population density of 76.5 per square kilometers.
The original driver of the Nanaimo economy was coal mining but in the 1960s, forestry became the major economic driver. Today, pulp mill is one of the major drivers of the economy but the largest employer in the city is the British Columbia provincial government. Other industries such as tourism, service, and retail industry also contribute significantly to the economy.
The city of Nanaimo is rich in Culture. A major festival in Nanaimo includes Nanaimo Marine Festival and a major art gallery in the city is the Nanaimo Art Gallery.
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