British Virgin Islands
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What are the British Virgin Islands?
The British Virgin Islands are a British overseas territory located in the eastern Caribbean Sea. They form part of the Virgin Islands chain and the northeastern end of the Greater Antilles. The territory consists of four main islands, namely Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke, along with 32 smaller islands and islets, with over 20 being uninhabited.
Tourism and financial services drive the British Virgin Islands' economy, with tourism accounting for approximately half of the islands' income. The islands boast a pleasant, mild, subtropical climate, with average temperatures of 78 °F (26 °C). The heat is tempered by gentle trade winds.
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Where are the British Virgin Islands located in the Caribbean Sea?
The British Virgin Islands are located in the eastern Caribbean Sea. They form part of the Virgin Islands chain, which marks the northeastern edge of the Greater Antilles, with Puerto Rico lying to the west. The British territory includes four main islandsâTortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dykeâalong with more than 30 smaller islands and islets, over 20 of which are uninhabited. These islands are positioned to the north and east of the United States Virgin Islands. The islands are west of the Anegada Passage, a major channel that links the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
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How many main islands make up the British Virgin Islands?
The British Virgin Islands, a British overseas territory in the eastern Caribbean Sea, consist of four main islands: Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke. In addition to these larger islands, the territory includes 32 smaller islands and islets, with over 20 being uninhabited. Road Town is the main port and town, located on Tortola, which is the largest island, with an area of 21 square miles (54 square km). The total area of the British Virgin Islands is 59 square miles (153 square km).
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What is the climate like in the British Virgin Islands?
The British Virgin Islands have a subtropical climate that remains mild and pleasant throughout the year, which significantly benefits the islands' tourism industry. Gentle trade winds from the northeast temper the heat, keeping humidity low. The average annual temperature is 78 °F (26 °C).
The dry season spans from February to July, while the wet season occurs between September and December. Hurricanes, averaging about four per century, typically occur between August and October. Light earthquakes occasionally occur. Rainfall averages about 50 inches (1,270 mm) a year, but it varies widely, and water scarcity is a significant concern.
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What languages are spoken in the British Virgin Islands?
The official language of the British Virgin Islands is English. However, Virgin Islands Creole English, an English-based creole, is more frequently used. The majority of the population are descendants of African slaves.
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Why are the British Virgin Islands a popular tourist destination?
The British Virgin Islands are a popular tourist destination due to their nearly perfect climate, sparkling beaches, tropical vegetation, and undersea coral reefs. Tourism provides about half of the islandsâ income and is the largest employer. The islands are known as the "sailing capital of the Caribbean," and water-based activities, including windsurfing and scuba diving, are popular attractions. The British Virgin Islanders have a fairly high standard of living for the Caribbean region because of tourism.
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News •
British Virgin Islands, British overseas territory in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It is part of an island chain collectively known as the Virgin Islands, which makes up the northeastern extremity of the Greater Antilles. Puerto Rico lies to the west. The British territory consists of 4 larger islands (Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke) and 32 smaller islands and islets, of which more than 20 are uninhabited; lesser islands include Great Tobago, Salt, Peter, Cooper, Norman, Guana, Beef, Great Thatch, Little Thatch, and Marina Cay. The chief town and port is Road Town on Tortola (23 square miles [59 square km]), the largest of the islands. The total area of the colony is 58 square miles (151 square km). Pop. (2010) 28,054.
For information about regional aspects of the British Virgin Islands, see Virgin Islands.
Land
Relief
The British Virgin Islands are a geologic extension of the central fault-block mountains of Puerto Rico and present a variety of physical features, including low mountains, lagoons with coral reefs and barrier beaches, and landlocked harbours. Except for Anegada, the islands are hilly. The highest point is Mount Sage (1,709 feet [521 metres]), on Tortola. The long and narrow Virgin Gorda (âFat Virginâ), with an area of approximately 8 square miles (21 square km), rises to an elevation of more than 1,300 feet (400 metres). Jost Van Dyke is a rugged island only about 3 square miles (8 square km) in area. Anegada, the northernmost extension of the chain, is a flat coral island surrounded by dangerous reefs. Its elevation is never more than 10 to 15 feet (3 to 5 metres) above sea level. There are no rivers on any of the islands.
Climate
The British Virgin Islands have a subtropical climate that is pleasant and mild for most of the year, a factor in the islandsâ important tourist industry. Although they are located in the tropics, the heat is tempered by gentle trade winds that blow from the northeast most of the year. Temperatures average 78 °F (26 °C) annually, and humidity is low. The dry season lasts from February to July and the wet season from September to December. Hurricanesâaveraging perhaps four in a centuryâusually occur between August and October, and there are occasional light earthquakes.
Water scarcity is a serious problem. Rainfall averages about 50 inches (1,270 mm) a year, but much of it runs off unused. In the driest sections of the large islands, rainfall usually averages a little less than 30 inches (760 mm), with possibly as much as 80 inches (2,030 mm) on the upper slopes of Mount Sage on Tortola. Rainfall is erratic, however, varying widely from year to year. British Virgin Islanders have long depended almost entirely upon their own cisterns and wells, and nearly all buildings, both private and public, have their own water catchments. In addition, water is imported in barges to meet the needs for fresh waterâneeds now rapidly increasing in proportion to population and industrial growth. Only Road Town has a piped supply.
Plant and animal life
Vegetation is tropical. Supported in most places by thin soil, it includes royal poinciana (flamboyant) trees and other lush blooms, but the islandsâ generally sparse stands of shrubs and trees are not sufficient to be of commercial value. Among the tree species are mangoes, soursop (a small tropical tree with a large, succulent fruit), coconut palms, and breadfruit. Cacao and wild orchids grow in the hills, while cactus, acacia, grass, and sugarcane flourish in the lowlands. The woodlands are not dense, and there are numerous species of birds and small game, such as deer. Sailfish, tarpon, marlin, kingfish, and wahoo abound in the coastal waters and offshore.
People
The great majority of British Virgin Islanders are the descendants of African slaves. Those of European descent constitute a small minority, although their number grew markedly since 1960, as the number of immigrants from the United States and Great Britain increased. Of all the islands, Tortola has by far the largest population, some four-fifths of the total. About one-fourth of all Tortolans live in Road Town. English is the official language; far more frequently used in practice, however, is an English-based creole, Virgin Islands Creole English. Religious affiliations are mostly with Protestant denominations, Methodists being the largest single group.
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Economy
The economic mainstays of the British Virgin Islands are tourism and financial services. Tourismâbased on the nearly perfect climate, sparkling beaches, tropical vegetation, and undersea coral reefsâprovides about half of the islandsâ income and is the largest employer. Also important is the offshore financial services sector. Since the mid-1980s the government has collected incorporation fees from foreign businesses that register in the islands; by the beginning of the 21st century there were some 400,000 such businesses.
Agriculture
Agriculture was the backbone of the economy until tourism replaced it in the 1970s. Farms are usually smallholdings worked by owner-occupiers, many of whom are also engaged part-time in fishing. The most important agricultural activity is livestock raising. The main crops are bananas, sugarcane, citrus fruits, coconuts, mangoes, and various root crops. Some fruits and vegetables continue to be exported, but most crops are grown for local consumption. Fishing in the well-endowed coastal waters is a growing industry, and fresh fish have become a significant export. Manufacturing is restricted to the production of rum, paint, and building materials (sand and gravel). Cottage industries produce woven baskets and other items that appeal to the tourist trade.
Trade
Importsâmostly from the United States, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdomâconsist chiefly of foodstuffs, beverages, machinery, motor vehicles, building materials, and petroleum products. Exports, mainly to the U.S. Virgin Islands, include fresh fish, rum, sand and gravel, charcoal, fruits, and vegetables.
Transportation
Tortola has two main highways and numerous side routes; Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke also have road systems. In the mid-1990s the British Virgin Islands began an extensive overhaul of its road network. Small boats ply to and from the U.S. Virgin Islands. The main entry point by air, Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, is located on Beef Island, which is connected by bridge to Tortola. There is also a small airport on Anegada that receives connecting flights from Beef Island, and there is plane service to the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Antigua. Port Purcell and West End, both on Tortola, are deepwater ports.