Okanagan

The Okanagan ( /oʊkəˈnɑːɡən/ OHK-ə-NAH-gən), also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as Okanagan Country is a region located in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. As of 2009, the region's population is approximately 350,927. The primary city is Kelowna. The name derives from the Okanagan language place name ukʷnaqín. An alternate explanation from Washington proposes "People living where you can see the top", ostensibly of Chopaka Peak in the Lower Similkameen. The region is known for its dry, sunny climate, dry landscapes and lakeshore communities and particular lifestyle. The economy is retirement and commercial-recreation based, with outdoor activities such as boating and watersports, snow skiing and hiking. Agriculture has been focused primarily on fruit orchards, with a recent shift in focus to vineyards and wine. The valley stretches from Sicamous, (where it merges with the Shuswap), to the US Border, where it continues as Okanogan County. The Okanagan Region often includes the Boundary Country, Similkameen Country and Shuswap, as well as the Okanagan Valley itself.