Map of British Virgin Islands | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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, 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.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 151 km²
Land: 151 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke
Comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, D.C.

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 46.7% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 6.7% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 6.7% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 33.3% (2023 est.)
Forest: 66.5% (2023 est.)
Other: 0% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)

Geography
Note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico


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Population
Total: 40,102 (2024 est.)
Male: 19,042
Female: 21,060
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
Growth rate: 1.82% (2024 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

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.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
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)

Dependency ratios
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.)

Median age
Total: 38.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 38.1 years
Female: 38.9 years

Population growth rate: 1.82% (2024 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate

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)

Environment

Air pollutants

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: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
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

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 80.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 78.6 years
Female: 81.7 years

Total fertility rate: 1.38 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source
Total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type

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 still lie at anchor

Administrative divisions

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: English common law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch
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
Election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as premier
Note: on 5 May 2022, Premier Andrew FAHIE was removed from office by a no-confidence vote in the House of Assembly after his arrest on drug-trafficking and money-laundering charges; Premier Dr. Natalio WHEATLEY was sworn in as premier on 5 May 2022

Legislative branch
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: 2,027

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman between two columns of six oil lamps, above a scroll with the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'God Save the King'
Lyrics/music: unknown
History: official anthem, as a UK overseas territory

National heritage


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products

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

Industrial production growth rate

Labor force

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $400 million (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $400 million (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports
Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, aircraft, molasses, precious stones (2023)

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


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Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 63,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 163.82 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 10.18 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 97.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Imports: 20 metric tons (2023 est.)

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

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 188,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 188,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 66.998 million Btu/person (2023 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 23,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 38,000 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Users percent of population: 78% (2017 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 7,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2022 est.)


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 3 (2025)

Heliports: 2 (2025)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 29 (2023)
By type: general cargo 3, other 26

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs