First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were granted autonomy in 1967. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency.
Location
Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates
18 30 N, 64 30 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
total
153 sq km
land
153 sq km
water
0 sq km
note
comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke
Area - comparative
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
0 km
Coastline
80 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
3 nm
exclusive fishing zone
200 nm
Climate
subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)
Geography - note
strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
Population
23,552 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
20.2% (male 2,410/female 2,337)
15-64 years
74.5% (male 9,004/female 8,534)
65 years and over
5.4% (male 665/female 602) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
31.7 years
male
31.9 years
female
31.5 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
1.923% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
14.82 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.031 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.055 male(s)/female
65 years and over
1.105 male(s)/female
total population
1.053 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
16.13 deaths/1,000 live births
male
18.82 deaths/1,000 live births
female
13.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
76.86 years
male
75.71 years
female
78.07 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.72 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
Nationality
noun
British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective
British Virgin Islander
Ethnic groups
black 83%, other 17% (includes white, Indian, Asian and mixed)
Religions
Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, other 2%, none 2% (1991)
Languages
English (official)
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
97.8% (1991 est.)
male
NA%
female
NA%
Country name
conventional long form
none
conventional short form
British Virgin Islands
abbreviation
BVI
Dependency status
overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing
Government type
NA
Capital
name
Road Town
geographic coordinates
18 27 N, 64 37 W
time difference
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday
Territory Day, 1 July (1956)
Constitution
1 June 1977, amended in 2000
Legal system
English law
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor David PEAREY (since 18 April 2006)
head of government
Chief Minister Dr. Orlando D. SMITH (since 17 June 2003)
cabinet
Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council
elections
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 1 member from each of nine electoral districts, 4 at-large members; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held in 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 8, VIP 5
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Political parties and leaders
Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)
Economy - overview
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$853.4 million (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$839.7 million (2003)
GDP - real growth rate
1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$38,500 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
1.8%
industry
6.2%
services
92% (1996 est.)
Labor force
12,770 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
0.6%
industry
40%
services
59.4% (2005)
Unemployment rate
3.6% (1997)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
NA%
highest 10%
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2% (2005)
Budget
revenues
$204.7 million
expenditures
$180.4 million; including capital expenditures of $33.8 million (2004)
Agriculture - products
Industries
tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Electricity - production
42 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
100%
hydro
0%
nuclear
0%
other
0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
39.06 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production
0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption
480 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports
NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance
$134.3 million (1999)
Exports
$25.3 million (2002)
Exports - commodities
rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand
Exports - partners
Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006)
Imports
$187 million (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities
building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery
Imports - partners
Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006)
Debt - external
$36.1 million (1997)
Economic aid - recipient
$NA
Currency (code)
US dollar (USD)
Currency code
USD
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Telephones - main lines in use
11,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular
8,000 (2002)
Telephone system
general assessment
worldwide telephone service
domestic
NA
international
country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios
9,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations
1 (plus 1 cable company) (1997)
Televisions
4,000 (1997)
Internet country code
.vg
Internet hosts
525 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
16 (2000)
Internet users
4,000 (2002)
Airports
3 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
2
914 to 1,523 m
1
under 914 m
1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
1
914 to 1,523 m
1 (2006)
Roadways
total
177 km
paved
177 km (2002)
Merchant marine
registered in other countries: 1 (North Korea 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Road Town
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49: 6,410 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49: 5,295 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49: 201 (2005 est.)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Disputes - international
none
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering
