British Virgin Islands

British Virgin Islands Background

First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency.

British Virgin Islands Information

• Population: 22,187 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander
• Location:: Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
• 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%, none 2%, other 2% (1991)
• Ethnic Groups:: black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed
• Land Boundaries:: 0 km
• Area: total: 153 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the island of Anegada water: 0 sq km land: 153 sq km
• Coast Line: 80 km
• Climate: subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
• Terrain: coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
• Land Use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (2001)
• Environmental Issues: 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)
• Natural Resources: NEGL
• Highways: total: 177 km paved: 177 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)
• Railways:
• Ports & Harbours: Road Town
• Airports: 3 (2003 est.)