n.
City (pop., 2001: metro. area, 311,902), capital of British Columbia, Canada.
It is located on the southeastern tip of Vancouver Island , overlooking Juan de Fuca Strait . It was founded in 1843 by the Hudson's Bay Co. as a fur-trading post known as Fort Camosun; it was later renamed Fort Victoria to honour the English queen. It was selected as the capital in 1866 when Vancouver Island united with British Columbia. It is now one of the province's largest business centres and a tourist resort and retirement community. A major port, it is the Pacific headquarters of the Canadian navy.