British Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands is a British Overseas Territory and are part of the Virgin Islands, a chain of islands in the Caribbean. The islands comprise of the eastern half of the island chain. The British Virgin Islands has sixteen inhabited islands and more than twenty uninhabited islands. Over 22,000 people live there, which is fewer than the neighbouring United States Virgin Islands.

Virgin Islands Overseas territory of the United Kingdom
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Vigilate" (Latin) "Be Vigilant"
Anthem: God Save the Queen  (official) Territorial song: Oh, Beautiful Virgin Islands  (official)
Capital and largest city	Road Town 18°25.883′N 64°37.383′W
Official languages	English
Ethnic groups	83.36% Afro-Caribbean 7.28% Whitea 5.38% multiracialb 3.14% East Indian 0.84% others
Demonym(s)	British Virgin Islander
Government	British Overseas Territoryc
• Monarch	Charles III
• Governor	William Boyd McCleary
• Deputy Governor	Vivian Inez Archibald
• Premier	Orlando Smith
• Responsible Ministerd (UK)	Mark Simmonds MP
Legislature	House of Assembly
British Overseas Territory
• Separate	1960
• Autonomous territory	1967
Area
• Total	153 km2 (59 sq mi) (216th)
• Water (%)	1.6
Population
• 2012 estimate	27,800
• 2005 census	27,000 (212th)
• Density	260/km2 (673.4/sq mi) (68th)
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	$853.4 million
• Per capita	$43,366
Currency	United States dollar (USD)
Time zone	UTC-4 (AST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (not observed)
Driving side	left
Calling code	+1-284
ISO 3166 code	VG
Internet TLD	.vg
Mostly British and Portuguese. Mostly Puerto Ricans. Parliamentary democratic dependency under constitutional monarchy. For the Overseas Territories.

The capital city, Road Town, is on Tortola, one of the islands in the group. Most of the people live on Tortola, but the other main inhabited islands include Anegada, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke.

History

The islands were originally lived in by Caribbean Indians called Arawaks. By the time the first European explorers discovered the British Virgin Islands all of the Arawaks had left. The first Europeans to try and settle in the British Virgin Islands were the Dutch, but the English came soon after and the English and the Dutch settlers used to fight. The Spanish also claimed the islands, but no Spanish people ever tried to settle there. But the Spanish did attack the British and Dutch settlers.

In 1672 the British took control of the islands during a war against the Dutch and they have held on to them ever since.

During the early years after European settlement the British Virgin Islands was a plantation economy which relied heavily upon slave labour. After slavery was abolished in the British Virgin Islands there was a long period of decline and many people left. Those who remained were mostly descended from African slaves, although many of them also left to try and find better lives elsewhere.

In the 1950s the British Virgin Islands got its own government, and the economy of the islands began to get better with the introduction of tourism and financial services.

Government

The British Virgin Islands are mostly self-governing, but some parts of the government is run by the United Kingdom.

A new constitution was introduced in 2007. It grants more control over everyday life to the Islanders, and lists the protection a person can expect from the government. The head of Government in the British Virgin Islands is called the Premier, and he is in charge of a group of ministers of government which is called the Cabinet. Laws are passed by a group of elected politicians in the House of Assembly. Most of the international relations are still dealt with by the British Government in London on behalf of the people of the British Virgin Islands.

Economy

Most people in the British Virgin Islands work in the tourist trade or in financial services. There are also a small number of farmers and fishermen.

Other websites

Media related to British Virgin Islands at Wikimedia Commons

• A visual guide to the British Virgin Islands