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@British Virgin Islands
Introduction British Virgin Islands
Background:
First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in
1672 by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and
more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the
legal currency.
Geography British Virgin Islands
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: 153 sq km
land: 153 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited
islands; includes the island of Anegada
Area - comparative:
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
80 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Terrain:
coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)
Geography - note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
People British Virgin Islands
Population:
22,643 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 21% (male 2,400/female 2,358)
15–64 years: 73.9% (male 8,607/female 8,115)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 614/female 549) (2005 est.)
Median age:
total: 30.9 years
male: 31.1 years
female: 30.7 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.06% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
14.96 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
10.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.02 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.49 years
male: 75.41 years
female: 77.62 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality: noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander
Ethnic groups:
black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed
Religions:
Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%,
Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other
15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991)
Languages:
English (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government British Virgin Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
abbreviation: BVI
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing
Government type:
NA
Capital:
Road Town
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Territory Day, 1 July
Constitution:
1 June 1977
Legal system:
English law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Orlando D. SMITH (since 17 June
2003)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of
the Legislative Council
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; following