Glacier National Park is one of seven national parks in British Columbia, and is part of a system of 43 parks and park reserves across Canada. It protects a portion of the Columbia Mountains. It also contains the Rogers Pass National Historic Centre, designated for its importance in the construction and development of Canada's first major national transportation route. It is 1,349 km² (521 mi²) in area and was established in 1886. It contains extensively glaciated areas.