The
Okanagan Country, also known as the
Okanagan Valley, is a
region located in the
Canadian province of
British Columbia, and the
U.S. state of
Washington (where it is spelled the
Okanogan Country), defined by the basin of
Okanagan Lake and the
Okanagan River. With an estimated 400,000 residents, the Okanagan Country spans from the
Thompson Plateau near
Grindrod, British Columbia in the
Okanagan to the
Okanagan Highland near
Douglas County, Washington in the
Okanogan. The largest city in the Canadian portion is
Kelowna, with 117,312 residents as of 2011, while the largest city in the American portion is
Omak, with 4,881 residents as of 2011. The region took its current name in honor of the
Okanagan term,
ukʷnaqín. The mild climate and close proximity to lakes, rivers and mountainous regions make the Okanagan Country an outdoor recreational destination. The region's economy is dominated by the
primary industries of agriculture and forestry, although economic diversification has also occurred with retirement communities and recreational tourism. The American portion is considered to be more
remote than the Canadian division, with approximately 10 percent of the population.