First Nations in British Columbia

There are 203 First Nations in British Columbia. First Nation is one of three groupings of Indigenous people in Canada, the other two being Métis and Inuit. Unlike Métis and Inuit, First Nations may hold reserve lands, and members of a First Nation can live both on and off these reserves. While the term First Nation can describe a large ethnic grouping (e.g. the Dene Nation), in other cases it is synonymous with the term band, a word originally chosen by the federal government and used in the Indian Act. The word band describes smaller communities, such as the ones listed below. Many First Nations prefer the term First Nation over band. In terms of larger ethnic groupings, First Nations in British Columbia are part of the Coast Salish, Dakelh, Dene, Haida, Kaska Dena, Ktunaxa, Nisga’a, Nlaka’pamux, Okanagan, Secwepemc, Sekani, Stl’atl’imx, Sto:lo, Tahltan, Tlingit, Tsilhqot’in, Tsimshian and Wet’suwet’en.

Each point on this map represents the location of a First Nation’s administrative office.
(map by The Canadian Encyclopedia, data courtesy Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and licensed under Open Government Licence-Canada)