Richmond is a beautiful coastal city situated within the province of British Columbia. It is considered a part of Metro Vancouver and its nearby communities are Burnaby and Vancouver to the north, New Westminster to the east and Delta to the south. The Strait of Georgia forms Richmond's western border.
The Vancouver International Airport if situated in Richmond city and is found on Sea Island. The city is made up of the islands within the delta of the Fraser River. The largest and most populous of these islands is Lulu Island. The 2nd biggest island is Sea Island, home to the Vancouver International Airport. Moreover, there are 13 smaller islands which make up Richmond's 129.66 square kilometers of land area. Steveston's quaint fishing village is likewise included within Richmond city and it is situated in the far southwest corner of Richmond. The Richmond Olympic Oval was made nearby and was amongst the sites for speed-skating events during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Because of the fact that all of Richmond's land area occupies islands in a river delta, Richmond city is full of alluvial and rich soil great for agriculture. As a matter of fact, the area was amongst the very first locations in B.C. to be farmed during 19th century by Europeans.
The geographic location of Richmond brings with it several issues. Because all of the land averages only one meter above sea level, it is at risk to flooding, specially during high tide. In order to cope with this condition, all of the main islands are now bordered by a system of dykes. These dykes serve to protect Richmond city from expected flooding, although, they are not as big as the levees of New Orleans or those found in the Netherlands. If there ever is a big earthquake in the area, there is a possibility that the dykes can break. This will cause the alluvial soil to possibly soften that will result in extensive damage.
The City of Richmond is likewise at risk of experiencing a major flood if the Fraser River has an unusually high spring freshet. There are various bird sanctuaries and recreational trails that run along the tops of many of the dykes. These flat, wide dirt roads make perfect locations for joggers, families to walk along with strollers and young kids as well as the ideal place for those who walk their dogs. Richmond supports about 1400 acres of parkland.
The city and surrounding area supports 100,000 jobs in different areas comprising retail, tourism, aviation and airport services, light manufacturing, fishing, agriculture and government. The region is likewise a leading location for high-technology firms. These businesses consist of the Nintendo Corporation of Canada and MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates.