British Virgin Islands
NAIndependence none (overseas territory of the UK)
British Virgin Islands as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 107 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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
Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
17 fieldsLand useshare of 153 sq km
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)
People
19 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2004 est.)
Male · female(2004 est.)
Religions(1991)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 21.5% (male 2,402; female 2,361)
- 15-64 years:
- 73.5% (male 8,395; female 7,911)
- 65 years and over:
- 5% (male 594; female 524) (2004 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1.13 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Literacy
- definition:
- age 15 and over can read and write
- total population:
- 97.8% (1991 est.)
- male:
- NA
- female:
- NA
Government
NA; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002); Chief Minister Orlando D. SMITH (since 17 June 2003)
19 fieldsLegislative Council, 13 seats, elected 16 May 2003one dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- none
- conventional short form:
- British Virgin Islands
- abbreviation:
- BVI
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 legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve four-year terms)
- elections:
- last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 8, VIP 5
Judicial branch
- Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court);
- Magistrate's Court;
- Juvenile Court;
- Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Political parties and leaders
- Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH];
- National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH];
- United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO];
- Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]
International organization participation
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU
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)
Economy
The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income.
35 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(1996 est.)
Electricity
Economy - overview
The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998. Tourism suffered in 2002 because of the lackluster US economy.
In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business.
Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959.
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- worldwide telephone service
- domestic:
- NA
- international:
- country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda
Transportation
6 fieldsMerchant marine, 3 ships by typeone square, one ship · ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,825 GRT/155,909 DWT
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Military
1 fieldTransnational Issues
2 fieldsIllicit drugs
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “British Virgin Islands.” The World Factbook 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/british-virgin-islands/2004.