[citation needed]. A report from 2000 suggested that, despite the popular perception, income inequality was actually lower in the British Virgin Islands than in any other OECS state,[44] although in global terms income equality is higher in the Caribbean than in many other regions. It is located approximately 18 degrees north and 64 degrees west. The first European sighting of the Virgin Islands was by the Spanish expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1493 on his second voyage to the Americas, who gave the islands their modern name. [36], The British and US Virgin Islands sit at the axis of a major drugs transshipment point between Latin America and the continental United States. Population 3,700 . Whilst statistics and hard data are relatively rare, and are not regularly published by governmental sources in the British Virgin Islands, the Premier did announce that in 2013 there has been a 14% decline in recorded crime as against 2012. Print. Christopher Columbus was the first European visitor in Virgin Gorda history, spying what was to become the British Virgin Islands and touching down there on his maiden voyage in 1493, though no European nation chose to settle the unusual scattering of land masses until much later. Travelers favorites include #1 The Baths (Virgin Gorda), #2 Cane Garden Bay (Tortola) and more. [5], In 2017 Hurricane Irma struck the islands, causing four deaths and immense damage. Only Virgin Islanders are permitted to work as taxi drivers. The largest island, Tortola, is approximately 12 miles (19 km) long and 3 miles (5 km) wide. Boats include everything from full-size mono-hull yachts to dinghies. The traditional music of the British Virgin Islands is called fungi after the local cornmeal dish with the same name, often made with okra. [3], The most recent constitution was adopted in 2007 (the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007)[30][31] and came into force when the Legislative Council was dissolved for the 2007 general election. ), production: 0 metric tons (2020 est. . mi) in size. )expenditures: $400 million (2017 est. They are located in the Virgin Islands archipelago, a few miles east of the US Virgin Islands, and about 95km (59mi) from the Puerto Rican mainland. Email. [19][20] Visiting Tortola on 13 September 2017, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said that he was reminded of photos of Hiroshima after it had been hit by the atom bomb. Tourism accounts for approximately 45% of national income. [62], There is a University of the West Indies Open campus in the territory and a Marine Science educational facility.[83]. The BVI are known as one of the world's greatest sailing destinations, and charter sailboats are a very popular way to visit less accessible islands. The island of Jost Van Dyke is rich in history as well. The British Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, along with over 50 other smaller islands and cays. It also reaches its highest point at 28 feet, hence its name which means the "drowned land." Elections are held roughly every four years. [5] Other large ethnic groups include Latinos (5.6%), those of European ancestry (5.4%), Mixed ancestry (5.4%) and Indian (2.1%). Island which is part of the British Virgin Islands, The location of Virgin Gorda within the British Virgin Islands, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, "Virgin Islands 2010 Population and Housing Census Report", St Phillip's Church ("the African Church"), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Virgin_Gorda&oldid=1119868033, Articles needing additional references from June 2018, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, A map with the outline of Virgin Gorda appears as the map of the Republic of Corte Maltese in the movie, This page was last edited on 3 November 2022, at 21:10. They have taken action to make sure that they have fair and open tax systems. $23 million (2017 est. Virgin Gorda ( / vrdn rd /) is the third-largest island (after Tortola and Anegada) and second-most populous of the British Virgin Islands (BVI). )biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est. [5] The constitution of the islands was amended in 1977, 2004 and 2007, giving them greater local autonomy. )consumption: 116.298 million kWh (2019 est. Defence and most foreign affairs remain the responsibility of the United Kingdom. [85], Many sailing events are held in the waters of this country, the largest of which is a week-long series of races called the Spring Regatta, the premier sailing event of the Caribbean, with several races hosted each day. QuickFacts provides statistics for all states and counties, and for cities and towns with a population of 5,000 or more. ), 2note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the typical length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.), 2note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control, total: 30by type: general cargo 3, other 27 (2022), major seaport(s): Road Harborcruise port(s): Tortola, transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering, total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030, Children under the age of 5 years underweight, School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education), agriculture 217; industry 217; services 5, Household income or consumption by percentage share, installed generating capacity 200; consumption 194; exports 136; imports 148; transmission/distribution losses 183, Civil aircraft registration country code prefix, Center for the Study of Intelligence (CSI). The highest point on the island is Majohnny Hill at 321 meters (1,054 ft). [citation needed], Economically however, financial services associated with the territory's status as an offshore financial centre are by far the more important. The airport reopened in December 2010. The literacy rate in the British Virgin Islands is high at 98%. Rainfall averages about 1,150mm (45.3in) per year, higher in the hills and lower on the coast. Named Anegada or the Drowned Land by the Spanish, Anegada is the only coral island in the Virgin Islands volcanic chain. )subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2021 est. The BVI Beacon, Thursday, 15 August 2013 article entitled "Report: Passports up, marriages down last year". The main commercial and residential area is Spanish Town on the southwestern part of the island. The population of the BVI is approximately 30,000 which leaves plenty of room for discerning visitors. While charter boats freely sail among most of the other Virgin Islands, charter companies often forbid clients to sail to Anegada to avoid running aground on the reef. Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico, total: 151 sq kmland: 151 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke, about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC, territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive fishing zone: 200 nm, subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds, coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly, highest point: Mount Sage 521 mlowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m, NEGL; pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism, agricultural land: 46.7% (2018 est. A large proportion of the white landowning population left the British Virgin Islands during the economic downturn, but the political relationship between the island and the British continued and has been maintained. The remaining 33 percent of the population included Roman Catholics, Baptists, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and members of the Church of God. The U.S. Virgin Islands is one of five inhabited insular areas of the United States, along with American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico. )crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est. However, Cornish miners built the ruins that remain today in the 1800s, following a decline in mineral deposits in Cornwall, England. Only the ninth district (Virgin Gorda and Anegada) does not include any part of Tortola. ), conventional long form: noneconventional short form: British Virgin Islandsabbreviation: BVIetymology: the myriad islets, cays, and rocks surrounding the major islands reminded explorer Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers (Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes), which over time shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes), Overseas Territory of the UK with limited self-government; parliamentary democracy, overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing, name: Road Towngeographic coordinates: 18 25 N, 64 37 Wtime difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)etymology: name refers to the nautical term "roadstead" or "roads," a body of water less sheltered than a harbor but where ships can lie reasonably safely at anchor sheltered from rip currents, spring tides, or ocean swells, history: several previous; latest effective 15 June 2007 (The Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007)amendments: initiated by any elected member of the House of Assembly; passage requires simple majority vote by the elected members of the Assembly and assent by the governor on behalf of the monarch; amended 2015, chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor John J. RANKIN (since 29 January 2021)head of government: Premier Dr. Natalio WHEATLEY (since 5 May 2022)cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the House of Assemblyelections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed premier by the governornote; on 5 May 2022, Premier Andrew FAHIE removed by a no confidence vote in House of Assembly following his arrest on drug trafficking and money laundering charges on 28 April 2022; Premier Dr. Natalio WHEATLEY sworn in as premier on 5 May 2022, description: unicameral House of Assembly (15 seats; 13 members - 9 in single-seat constituencies and 4 at-large seats directly elected by simple majority vote and 2 ex-officio members - the attorney general and the speaker - chosen from outside the House; members serve 4-year terms)elections: last held on 24 April 2023 (next to be held in 2027)election results: percent of vote by party - PVIM 34.2%, VIP 31.9%, NDP 26.1%, PU 8%; seats by party - VIP 6, NDP 3, PVIM 3, PU 1, highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, traveling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, with 3 in the British Virgin Islandsjudge selection and term of office: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts, National Democratic Party or NDP [Marlon PENN]Progressive Virgin Islands Movement or PVIM [Ronnie SKELTON]Progressives United or PU [Julian FRASER]Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Natalio WHEATLEY], Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU, embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK), 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); the islands were named by COLUMBUS in 1493 in honor of Saint Ursula and her 11 virgin followers (some sources say 11,000) who reputedly were martyred by the Huns in the 4th or 5th century; the figure on the banner holding a lamp represents the saint; the other lamps symbolize her followers, zenaida dove, white cedar flower; national colors: yellow, green, red, white, blue, note: as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the King" is official (see United Kingdom), British Caribbean island territorial economy; strong tourism and services industries; vulnerable to hurricanes; navigating public debt insolvency since 2008 Crisis; considered a tax haven; high electrification costs; major rum exporter, $500 million (2017 est. In the 1700s, a Quaker colony settled here to develop sugar-cane plantations. [5] The islands prospered economically until the middle of the nineteenth century, when a combination of the abolition of slavery in the British Empire in 1834, a series of disastrous hurricanes, and the growth in the sugar beet crop in Europe and the United States[11] significantly reduced sugar cane production and led to a period of economic decline. ), agriculture: 0.2% (2017 est. The village, resort, and marina at this point (Jon'O'Point) is called the Bitter End Yacht Club, and runs for about a mile of coastline. ), total: 12 yearsmale: 12 yearsfemale: 12 years (2018), limited natural freshwater resources except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola; most of the islands' water supply comes from desalination plants; sewage and mining/industry waste contribute to water pollution, threatening coral reefs, carbon dioxide emissions: 0.21 megatons (2016 est. The islands were named "Santa rsula y las Once Mil Vrgenes" by Christopher Columbus in 1493 after the legend of Saint Ursula and the 11,000 virgins. )1.8% (2015 est. Just north of The Baths, Spring Bay is reached by a separate road and includes a lovely white sand beach. The main harbour is in Road Town. Jost Van Dyke, named after a famous Dutch pirate, has been a sailor's mecca for years. More. [40][3][41] Politically, tourism is the more important of the two, as it employs a greater number of people within the territory, and a larger proportion of the businesses in the tourist industry are locally owned, as are a number of the highly tourism-dependent sole traders (for example, taxi drivers and street vendors). )exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est. The birds are another tourist draw, but officials are trying to keep the number of visitors to the flamingo areas at a level that allows the birds to flourish. ), comparison ranking: total subscriptions 210, general assessment: the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one major casualty may be the regions second largest telco operator, Digicel; the company filed for bankruptcy in the US in April 2020; it continues to operate in all of its Caribbean markets as it seeks to refinance billions of dollars of debt; the other major telco, regional incumbent Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), is experiencing similar drops in subscriber numbers and revenue; CWC is expanding and enhancing its fixed and mobile networks in many of the countries it serves around the Caribbean, despite many locations being small islands with very small populations; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage. Columbus was the first European visitor to the islands, in 1493. Map. They are now being re-established into the ponds. Anegada is known for miles of white sand beaches and the29 km(18 miles) long Horseshoe Reef, the largest barrier coral reef in the Caribbean, and the fourth largest on earth. In 1968 the British Government issued a memorandum requiring that the postage stamps in the territory should say "British Virgin Islands" (whereas previously they had simply stated "Virgin Islands"), a practice which is still followed today. It's located 19km (12 miles) east of Tortola and 41km (25 miles) east of St. Thomas. About one . Granite is an intrusive igneous rock, thus not volcanic. Experiences. British Virgin Islanders are British Overseas Territories citizens and since 2002, are also British citizens. Caribbean KCs and British KCs preside over the majority of important cases and the laws of the Virgin Islands are based on English laws, meaning the jurisdiction provides clarity and consistency should parties require commercial disputes to be resolved. In the April 2016 Panama Papers leak, while all of the wrongdoing by Mossack Fonseca personnel occurred in Panama and the US, the British Virgin Islands was by far the most commonly-used jurisdiction by clients of Mossack Fonseca.[56]. [6] This was likely to prevent confusion following on from the adoption of US currency in the territory in 1959, and the references to US currency on the stamps of the territory. In late 2022, both of the USA and EU appeared to have endorsed the British Overseas Territories' beneficial ownership register regimes. )imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est. ), total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est. Sailing is regarded as one of the foremost sports in all of the BVI. ), comparison rankings: agriculture 217; industry 217; services 5, household consumption: 25.1% (2017 est. )permanent crops: 6.7% (2018 est. ), municipal solid waste generated annually: 21,099 tons (2000 est. Jost has been home to Arawak Indians, Carib Indians, Africans, Dutch and English planters. This island covers an area of approximately some 8 square miles, and the population there stands at around 4,000 people. [68] Virgin Gorda and Anegada have their own smaller airports. )transmission/distribution losses: 22.5 million kWh (2019 est. Crime in the British Virgin Islands is comparatively low by Caribbean standards. [2] Virgin Gorda residents are served by Robinson O'Neal Memorial Primary School and Bregado Flax Educational Centre, a combined primary and secondary school that opened in 1982. Residents of Virgin Gorda now enjoy a high standard of living and value the benefits that a booming, though controlled, tourism industry has offered. At about 15 square miles (38 square kilometers), Anegada is the second largest of the British Virgin Islands, but it is also the most sparsely populated of the main islands, with a population of 285 as at the 2010 Census. Punta Gorda city, Florida . Clear 1 Table. Despite this, the territory's most popular beach still has no lifeguard presence. [21], By 8 September, the UK government sent troops with medical supplies and other aid. )nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est. Tortola is also the vibrant hub of the financial and government sectors with Road Town "The Small Town with a Big Heart" as its capital. ), production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est. The island was discovered in 1493 by Christopher Columbus and the name means "fat virgin" as it reminded him of a reclining women when seen from a distance. Ranking of the top 12 things to do in British Virgin Islands. The Virgin Islands Prison Service operates a single facility, His Majesty's Prison in East End, Tortola. Christopher Columbus is said to have named the island "the Fat Virgin", because the island's profile on the horizon looks like a fat woman lying on her side. [69] Helicopters are used to get to islands with no runway facilities; Antilles Helicopter Services is the only helicopter service based in the country. The Batehill leases were to run for 199 yearsleaving less than 10% of Anegada to its own people, and creating a barrier that would separate the affluent Road Town harbour from the rest of the island. Today, a life size statute of Noel Lloyd and face plates of other members of PAM stands in memory of their efforts at the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park in Road Town, Tortola. ), comparison ranking: total subscriptions 197, total subscriptions: 35,000 (2021 est. Punta Gorda city, Florida. British Virgin Islands The British Virgin Islands are a British Overseas Territory located in the northeastern Caribbean. An estimated 80% of residential and business structures were destroyed or damaged, communications disrupted, and local roads rendered impassable. On 30 June 2014, The British Virgin Islands[57] was deemed to have an Inter- Governmental Agreement (IGA) with the United States of America with respect to the "Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act" of the United States of America. It was named Virgin Gorda, or "Fat Virgin," by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World in 1493. In recognition of the CARICOM (Free Movement) Skilled Persons Act which came into effect in July 1997 in some of the CARICOM countries such as Jamaica and which has been adopted in other CARICOM countries,[65] such as Trinidad and Tobago,[66][67] it is possible that CARICOM nationals who hold the "A Certificate of Recognition of Caribbean Community Skilled Person" may be allowed to work in the BVI under normal working conditions. The UK offered to underwrite rebuilding loans up to US$400m as long as there was accountability as to how the monies were spent. 01 of 12 Montserrat Corbis / Getty Images [5], In 1917, the United States purchased the Danish Virgin Islands for US$25 million, renaming them the United States Virgin Islands. The Island has a population of 24,045 and 55.7sq. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Key Facts. Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke having the largest populations Urbanization: urban population: 48.1% . ^ "Virgin Islands 2010 Population and Housing Census Report" (PDF). In 2004, migrant workers accounted for 50% of the total population. km, the British Virgin Islands is a British Overseas Territory located in the northeastern Caribbean. Private air charter services operated by Island Birds Air Charter fly directly to all three islands from any major airport in the Caribbean. Owing to the international nature of BVI companies' operations and asset holdings, the BVI Commercial Court routinely hears highly sophisticated matters at the cutting edge of cross-border litigation and enforcement, where billions of dollars are at issue. )tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est. vii-viii) Shaxson points out that despite BVI having fewer than 25000 inhabitants, hosts over 800,000 companies. Impressed by the number of islands and by their plentiful cays, he named them after Ursula and her 11,000 virgins.
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