British Virgin Islands - VG - VGB - IVB - Central America and the Caribbean

overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing

embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK)

0-14 years: 16.6% (male 3,298/female 3,351)

15-64 years: 71.3% (male 13,455/female 15,152)

65 years and over: 12.1% (2024 est.) (male 2,289/female 2,557)

18 30 N, 64 30 W

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: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)

about 0.9 times the size of Washington, D.C.

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, and the US dollar is the legal currency. In 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.

limited natural freshwater resources except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola; sewage and mining/industry waste contribute to water pollution, threatening coral reefs

ships, refined petroleum, aircraft, molasses, precious stones (2023)

none (overseas territory of the UK)

fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

revenues: $400 million (2017 est.)

expenditures: $400 million (2017 est.)

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 still lie at anchor

ships, refined petroleum, aircraft, railway cargo containers, jewelry (2023)

subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds

80 km

history: several previous; latest effective 15 June 2007 (The Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007)

amendment process: 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

the US dollar is used

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Daniel PRUCE (since 29 January 2024)

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

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

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering

none (overseas territory of the UK)

tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore banking center

highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and 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 travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts

judge selection and term of office: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the British monarch; 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

total: 0 km

agricultural land: 46.7% (2022 est.)

arable land: 6.7% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 6.7% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 33.3% (2022 est.)

forest: 24.1% (2022 est.)

other: 29.2% (2022 est.)

English common law

legislature name: House of Assembly

legislative structure: unicameral

number of seats: 15 (directly elected and appointed)

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 4 years

most recent election date: 4/24/2023

parties elected and seats per party: VIP (6); NDP (3); PVIM (3); PU (1)

expected date of next election: 2027

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

ACS (associate), Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU

Territory Day, 1 July (1956)

noun: British Virgin Islander(s)

adjective: British Virgin Islander

NEGL; pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism

strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

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

National Democratic Party or NDP
Progressive Virgin Islands Movement or PVIM
Progressives United or PU
Virgin Islands Party or VIP

18 years of age; universal

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)

coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly

Overseas Territory of the UK with limited self-government; parliamentary democracy

defense is the responsibility of the UK

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: British Virgin Islands

abbreviation: BVI

etymology: the 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 was shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes)

Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Central America and the Caribbean

NA

none (overseas territory of the UK)

percent of population: 78% (2017 est.)

.vg

$1.38 billion (2018 est.)

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2018)

urban population: 49.7% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

1 private TV station; multi-channel TV is available from cable and satellite subscription services; about a half-dozen private radio stations

improved:

total: 99.9% of population

unimproved:

total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)

note: as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the King" is official (see United Kingdom)

15,000 ROAD TOWN (capital) (2018)

zenaida dove, white cedar flower; national colors: yellow, green, red, white, blue

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.)

see United Kingdom

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

VP-L

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.)

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.)

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.)

English (official), Virgin Islands Creole

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

highest point: Mount Sage 521 m

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

NA

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

total dependency ratio: 40.2 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 23.2 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 16.9 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 5.9 (2024 est.)

USA 34%, Italy 10%, France 9%, China 8%, Luxembourg 5% (2023)

Malta 33%, Guyana 22%, Greece 11%, Germany 7%, Indonesia 4% (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 21,099 tons (2000 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 0.21 megatons (2016 est.)

imports: 20 metric tons (2023 est.)

fossil fuels: 97.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 1,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

0.67 (2024 est.)

46.6% (2023 est.)

total ports: 1 (2024)

large: 0

medium: 1

small: 0

very small: 0

ports with oil terminals: 1

key ports: Road Harbor

12.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

total: 38.5 years (2024 est.)

male: 38.1 years

female: 38.9 years

1.38 children born/woman (2024 est.)

2.9% (2015 est.)

total: 40,102 (2024 est.)

male: 19,042

female: 21,060

188,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 188,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

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

38.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

$500 million (2017 est.)
$490.2 million (2016 est.)
$481.1 million (2015 est.)

3 (2025)

total: 13.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 16 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total subscriptions: 38,000 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (2021 est.)

4.2% (2022 est.)
2.8% (2021 est.)
0.4% (2020 est.)

$34,200 (2017 est.)

total: 7,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2022 est.)

66.998 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

5.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

10.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

installed generating capacity: 63,000 kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 163.82 million kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 10.18 million kWh (2023 est.)

total: 29 (2023)

by type: general cargo 3, other 26

NA

$300 million (2017 est.)
$210 million (2016 est.)

$23 million (2017 est.)
$23 million (2015 est.)

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

2 (2025)

total subscriptions: 23,000 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2022 est.)

total population: 80.1 years (2024 est.)

male: 78.6 years

female: 81.7 years

2% (2017 est.)
1.9% (2016 est.)
1.8% (2015 est.)

1.1% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 0.2% (2017 est.)

industry: 6.8% (2017 est.)

services: 93.1% (2017 est.)

2.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.82% (2024 est.)