Geography of the British Virgin Islands

British Virgin Islands
Map of British Virgin Islands
Map of British Virgin Islands
Map
Geography
LocationCaribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates18°30′N 64°30′W / 18.500°N 64.500°W / 18.500; -64.500
ArchipelagoLeeward Islands
Area151 km2 (58 sq mi)
Coastline80 km (50 mi)
Highest pointMount Sage 521m
Administration
Overseas territoryBritish Virgin Islands
Demographics
Population37,891 (July, 2021)

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) are one of three political divisions of the Virgin Islands archipelago located in the Lesser Antilles, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. The BVI are the easternmost part of the island chain. The land area totals (151 km2 (58 sq mi)) (about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC) and comprises 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands.[1] The islands of Tortola (54 km2 (21 sq mi)), Anegada (36 km2 (14 sq mi)), Virgin Gorda (21 km2 (8 sq mi)) and Jost van Dyke (10 km2 (4 sq mi)) are the largest.[2] Maritime claims include 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi) territorial sea and a 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) exclusive fishing zone.[1] In terms of land use, it is 20% arable land, 6.67% permanent crops and 73.33% other as of a 2005 figure. It has strong ties to nearby U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

  1. ^ a b "British Virgin Islands". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  2. ^ Peffer, Randall (2001). Lonely Planet Virgin Islands. Melbourne: Lonely Planet. ISBN 0864427352.