▁ 7 4 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁people ▁living ▁in ▁Metro ▁V ancouver ▁live ▁outside ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁V ancouver ▁has ▁been ▁called ▁a ▁" city ▁of ▁neighbourhood s ". ▁Each ▁neighbourhood ▁in ▁V ancouver ▁has ▁a ▁distinct ▁character ▁and ▁eth nic ▁mix . ▁People ▁of ▁English , ▁Scottish , ▁and ▁Irish ▁orig ins ▁were ▁histor ically ▁the ▁largest ▁eth nic ▁groups ▁in ▁the ▁city , ▁and ▁elements ▁of ▁British ▁society ▁and ▁culture ▁are ▁still ▁visible ▁in ▁some ▁areas , ▁particularly ▁South ▁Gran ville ▁and ▁K err is dale . ▁Germ ans ▁are ▁the ▁next - larg est ▁European ▁eth nic ▁group ▁in ▁V ancouver ▁and ▁were ▁a ▁leading ▁force ▁in ▁the ▁city ' s ▁society ▁and ▁economy ▁until ▁the ▁rise ▁of ▁anti - G erman ▁sentiment ▁with ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁Today ▁the ▁Chinese ▁are ▁the ▁largest ▁visible ▁eth nic ▁group ▁in ▁the ▁city , ▁with ▁a ▁diverse ▁Chinese - spe aking ▁community , ▁and ▁several ▁dialect s , ▁including ▁C anton ese ▁and ▁Mand arin . ▁Ne igh bour hood s ▁with ▁distinct ▁eth nic ▁commercial ▁areas ▁include ▁Ch in at own , ▁P un j abi ▁Market , ▁Little ▁Italy , ▁Gree kt own , ▁and ▁( former ly ) ▁Jap ant own . ▁ ▁Since ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁imm igration ▁increased ▁substantial ly , ▁making ▁the ▁city ▁more ▁eth n ically ▁and ▁lingu ist ically ▁diverse ; ▁ 5 3 % ▁of ▁V ancouver