Introduction
Background
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 (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. On 6 September 2017, Hurricane Irma devastated the island of Tortola. An estimated 80% of residential and business structures were destroyed or damaged, communications disrupted, and local roads rendered impassable.
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Geography
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: 151 sq km
land: 151 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
comparison ranking: total 219
Area - comparative
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
80 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate
subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Terrain
coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Elevation
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Natural resources
NEGL; pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism
Land use
agricultural land: 46.7% (2018 est.)
arable land: 6.7% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 6.7% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 33.3% (2018 est.)
forest: 24.3% (2018 est.)
other: 29% (2018 est.)
Population distribution
a fairly even distribution throughout the inhabited islands, with the largest islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke having the largest populations
Natural hazards
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Geography - note
strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
People and Society
Nationality
noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: British Virgin Islander
Ethnic groups
African/Black 76.3%, Latino 5.5%, White 5.4%, mixed 5.3%, Indian 2.1%, East Indian 1.6%, other 3%, unspecified 0.8% (2010 est.)
Languages
English (official), Virgin Islands Creole
Religions
Protestant 70.2% (Methodist 17.6%, Church of God 10.4%, Anglican 9.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 9.0%, Pentecostal 8.2%, Baptist 7.4%, New Testament Church of God 6.9%, other Protestant 1.2%), Roman Catholic 8.9%, Jehovah's Witness 2.5%, Hindu 1.9%, other 6.2%, none 7.9%, unspecified 2.4% (2010 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 16.56% (male 3,231/female 3,287)
15-64 years: 71.87% (male 13,322/female 14,972)
65 years and over: 11.58% (2023 est.) (male 2,156/female 2,401)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 32.8
youth dependency ratio: 20.2
elderly dependency ratio: 12.6
potential support ratio: 8 (2021)
Median age
total: 38.2 years (2023 est.)
male: 37.9 years
female: 38.6 years
comparison ranking: total 71
Population distribution
a fairly even distribution throughout the inhabited islands, with the largest islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke having the largest populations
Urbanization
urban population: 49.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
15,000 ROAD TOWN (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 16.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 105
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 79.9 years (2023 est.)
male: 78.4 years
female: 81.5 years
comparison ranking: total population 56
Gross reproduction rate
0.67 (2023 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: total: 99.9% of population
unimproved: total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 97.5% of population
rural: 97.5% of population
total: 97.5% of population
unimproved: urban: 2.5% of population
rural: 2.5% of population
total: 2.5% of population (2015 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
46.6% (2023 est.)
Literacy
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 12 years (2018)
Environment
Environment - current issues
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
Climate
subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Land use
agricultural land: 46.7% (2018 est.)
arable land: 6.7% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 6.7% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 33.3% (2018 est.)
forest: 24.3% (2018 est.)
other: 29% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 49.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.21 megatons (2016 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 21,099 tons (2000 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
abbreviation: BVI
etymology: 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)
Government type
Overseas Territory of the UK with limited self-government; parliamentary democracy
Dependency status
overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing
Capital
name: Road Town
geographic coordinates: 18 25 N, 64 37 W
time 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
Administrative divisions
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday
Territory Day, 1 July (1956)
Constitution
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
Legal system
English common law
Citizenship
see United Kingdom
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
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 Assembly
elections/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 governor
note; on 5 May 2022, Premier Andrew FAHIE was removed from office 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
Legislative branch
description: unicameral House of Assembly (15 seats; 13 members - 9 in single-seat constituencies and 4 members in a single, nationwide constituency 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
Judicial branch
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 Islands
judge 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 62
subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts
Political parties and leaders
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]
International organization participation
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description
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
National symbol(s)
zenaida dove, white cedar flower; national colors: yellow, green, red, white, blue
National anthem
note: as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the King" is official (see United Kingdom)
Economy
Economic overview
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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$500 million (2017 est.)
$490.2 million (2016 est.)
$481.1 million (2015 est.)
comparison ranking: 214
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.38 billion (2018 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.2% (2022 est.)
2.8% (2021 est.)
0.4% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: 84
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 0.2% (2017 est.)
industry: 6.8% (2017 est.)
services: 93.1% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: services 5; industry 217; agriculture 217
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 25.1% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 7.5% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 21.7% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 20.4% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 94.7% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -69.4% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish
Industries
tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore banking center
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Budget
revenues: $400 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: $400 million (2017 est.)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Exports
$23 million (2017 est.)
$23 million (2015 est.)
note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
comparison ranking: 215
Exports - partners
Malta 30%, Seychelles 29%, Switzerland 14% (2019)
Exports - commodities
aircraft, recreational boats, ships, hydrogen, halogens (2021)
Imports - partners
Germany 32%, United States 22%, Italy 9%, France 7%, Seychelles 7% (2019)
Imports - commodities
recreational boats, aircraft, refined petroleum, cars, furniture (2019)
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 33,000 kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 116.298 million kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 22.5 million kWh (2019 est.)
comparison rankings: imports 148; exports 136; installed generating capacity 200; transmission/distribution losses 183; consumption 194
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 98.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 1,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
173,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 173,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 205
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 7,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 197
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 35,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 210
Telecommunication systems
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 region’s 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. (2021)
domestic: fixed-line connections exceed 22 per 100 persons and mobile cellular subscribership is roughly 110 per 100 persons (2021)
international: country code - 1-284; landing points for PCCS, ECFS, CBUS, Deep Blue Cable, East-West, PAN-AM, Americas-1, Southern Caribbean Fiber, Columbus- IIb, St Thomas - St Croix System, Taino-Carib, and Americas I- North via submarine cable to Caribbean, Central and South America, and US (2019)
Broadcast media
1 private TV station; multi-channel TV is available from cable and satellite subscription services; about a half-dozen private radio stations
Internet users
total: 24,087 (2021 est.)
percent of population: 77.7% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 211
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 6,738 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 182
Transportation
Airports - with paved runways
2
note: 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.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
2
note: 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
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Road Harbor
cruise port(s): Tortola
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering