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The Nechako Region
 The Nechako Region is situated to the northwest of the Fraser Uplands and directly east of the Coast Mountains. It is lower in elevation and more subdued topographically than the Fraser Uplands. A rolling to hilly surface averages 2,500 feet in elevation, and most rivers flow in fairly broad valleys about 500 feet below the general level. A few mountains rise to 5,000 feet.
The entire region is forested, a reflection of the humid continental climate. Rainfall is heavier and temperatures are lower than in the Fraser Uplands to the south. Most soils in the region are acidic and low in plant nutrients.
The region is sparsely settled, containing only three per cent of the population of British Columbia. The main elements of the economic geography of the area are lumbering and pioneer farming, near the Canadian National Railway route. Occasional summer frosts, heavy autumn rains, infertile soils and distance from markets impose limitations to agricultural expansion.
Urban Centres
Prince George, located at the confluence of the Fraser and Nechako Rivers, is the most important town in the region. It is a divisional point for the Canadian National Railway and a distributing centre for surrounding farms and lumber camps.
Founded as a Hudson's Bay post in 1807, it was incorporated as a city in 1915. It was expected to grow rapidly upon completion of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, but this project has yet to be accomplished. Population in 1931 was 2,479; in 1941, 1,989. In 2006, the population was found to be 70,981.
McBride, Vanderhoof, Smithers, Burns Lake and Hazelton are small settlements along the railway.
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