title: Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen
text: # Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen
  
  The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) is in southern British Columbia, adjacent to the U.S. state of Washington. It is bounded by Fraser Valley Regional District to the west, Thompson-Nicola Regional District and Regional District of Central Okanagan to the north, Regional District of Kootenay Boundary to the east, and by Okanogan County, Washington to the south. At the 2011 census the population was 80,742. The district covers a land area of 10,413.44 square kilometres (4,020.65 sq mi). The administrative offices are in the City of Penticton.
  
  ## Population history
  
  * 2021: 90,178 (+8.6%)
  * 2016: 83,022 (+2.8%)
  * 2011: 80,742 (+1.6%)
  * 2006: 79,475 (+3.7%)
  * 2001: 76,635 (+0.9%)
  * 1996: 75,933
  
  ## Municipalities
  
  RDOS comprises six municipalities and nine rural electoral areas designated Electoral areas A - I. The municipalities of RDOS are Penticton, Summerland, Osoyoos, Oliver, Princeton, and Keremeos.
  
  | Municipality | Type | Population | Growth 2016-2021 |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Penticton | City | 36,885 | 9.3% |
  | Summerland | District municipality | 12,042 | 3.7% |
  | Osoyoos | Town | 5,556 | 10.0% |
  | Oliver | Town | 5,094 | 3.4% |
  | Princeton | Town | 2,826 | 3.0% |
  | Keremeos | Village | 1,608 | 7.1% |
  
  ## Demographics
  
  As a census division in the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen had a population of 90,178 living in 40,981 of its 46,436 total private dwellings, a change of 8.6% from its 2016 population of 83,022. With a land area of 10,406.64 $km^2$ (4,018.03 sq mi), it had a population density of $8.7/km^2$ (22.4/sq mi) in 2021.
  
  ### Ethnicity
  
  Panethnic groups in the Okanagan–Similkameen Regional District (2001−2021) :
  
  | Panethnic group | 2021 | 2021 | 2016 | 2016 | 2011 | 2011 | 2006 | 2006 | 2001 | 2001 |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Panethnic group | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
  | European | 73,430 | 83.76% | 68,860 | 85.6% | 69,095 | 88.14% | 70,640 | 90.02% | 69,205 | 91.08% |
  | Indigenous | 6,640 | 7.57% | 6,145 | 7.64% | 4,910 | 6.26% | 3,380 | 4.31% | 2,865 | 3.77% |
  | South Asian | 3,445 | 3.93% | 2,950 | 3.67% | 2,630 | 3.35% | 2,805 | 3.57% | 2,030 | 2.67% |
  | East Asian | 1,315 | 1.5% | 940 | 1.17% | 655 | 0.84% | 780 | 0.99% | 940 | 1.24% |
  | Southeast Asian | 1,205 | 1.37% | 735 | 0.91% | 510 | 0.65% | 415 | 0.53% | 380 | 0.5% |
  | Latin American | 590 | 0.67% | 270 | 0.34% | 160 | 0.2% | 130 | 0.17% | 365 | 0.48% |
  | African | 555 | 0.63% | 240 | 0.3% | 230 | 0.29% | 125 | 0.16% | 165 | 0.22% |
  | Middle Eastern | 185 | 0.21% | 115 | 0.14% | 75 | 0.1% | 30 | 0.04% | 30 | 0.04% |
  | Other | 305 | 0.35% | 195 | 0.24% | 125 | 0.16% | 160 | 0.2% | 10 | 0.01% |
  | Total responses | 87,665 | 97.21% | 80,445 | 96.9% | 78,395 | 97.09% | 78,475 | 98.74% | 75,985 | 99.15% |
  | Total population | 90,178 | 100% | 83,022 | 100% | 80,742 | 100% | 79,475 | 100% | 76,635 | 100% |
  
  * Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses.
  
  ### Language
  
  According to the 2011 Census, 84.43% of Okanagan-Similkameen's population have English as mother tongue; German is the mother tongue of 2.99% of the population, followed by Punjabi (2.86%), French (1.90%), Portuguese (1.06%), Dutch (0.80%), Ukrainian (0.42%), Hungarian (0.41%), Spanish (0.41%), and Italian (0.39%).
  
  | Mother tongue | Population | Percentage |
  | - | - | - |
  | English | 67,360 | 84.43% |
  | German | 2,385 | 2.99% |
  | Punjabi | 2,280 | 2.86% |
  | French | 1,515 | 1.90% |
  | Portuguese | 845 | 1.06% |
  | Dutch | 640 | 0.80% |
  | Ukrainian | 335 | 0.42% |
  | Hungarian | 330 | 0.41% |
  | Spanish | 330 | 0.41% |
  | Italian | 310 | 0.39% |
  
  ## Electoral areas
  
  ### Okanagan-Similkameen A
  
      Rural areas surrounding Osoyoos, including Anarchist Mountain to the east between Rock Creek and Osoyoos.
      Population: 2,139
  
  ### Okanagan-Similkameen B
  
      The valley of the Similkameen River from Cawston downstream to Chopaka, at the US border.
      Population: 1,151
  
  ### Okanagan-Similkameen C
  
      Rural areas surrounding Oliver.
      Population: 3,986
  
  ### Okanagan-Similkameen D
  
      Rural areas and unincorporated communities southeast of Penticton, including Okanagan Falls.
      Population: 4,016
  
  ### Okanagan-Similkameen E
  
      Rural areas and unincorporated settlements to the northeast of Penticton including Naramata.
      Population: 2,015
  
  ### Okanagan-Similkameen F
  
      Rural areas west of Summerland and northwest of Penticton.
      Population: 2,092
  
  ### Okanagan-Similkameen G
  
      Rural areas of the middle Similkameen Valley surrounding Keremeos, including Hedley.
      Population: 2,298
  
  ### Okanagan-Similkameen H
  
      Rural areas and unincorporated communities in the upper Similkameen Valley, including Tulameen and Coalmont.
      Population: 2,232
  
  ### Okanagan-Similkameen I
  
      Rural areas southwest of Penticton, including Kaleden and Apex.
      Population: 2,207
  