BC is nearly four times the size of Great Britain, 2.5 times larger than Japan, and larger than all the U.S. states except Alaska. The land is exceptionally rich with two million hectares of water resources. The City is located in BC's south centre region, collectively known as the Okanagan Valley or simply the Okanagan. It is renowned the world over as one of the most pleasant areas in Canada in which to live. The valley is the northern extension of the Columbia River basin, and forms a high temperate desert area in Canada.
From the Town of Osoyoos at the United States border to Salmon Arm at the northern extreme, the Valley stretches over 200 km, yet averages only 10 km wide for most of that distance. Most of the South Okanagan area falls within the jurisdiction of the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen (RDOS), which includes the City of Penticton.