British Virgin Islands

This article is about the British Overseas Territory. For the island group, which also includes the United States Virgin Islands and Spanish Virgin Islands, see Virgin Islands.
"BVI" redirects here. For other uses, see BVI (disambiguation).

Virgin Islands
British Overseas Territory
Flag of Virgin Islands
Flag
Official seal of Virgin Islands
Coat of arms
Motto: 
"Vigilate" (Latin)
(English: "Be Vigilant")
Anthem: "God Save the King"

Territorial song: "Oh, Beautiful Virgin Islands"
Location of British Virgin Islands (circled in red)
Location of British Virgin Islands (circled in red)
Location of Virgin Islands
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Before annexationDutch West Indies
British capture1672
Separate colony1960
Autonomy1967
Capital
and largest city
Road Town
18°25′53″N 64°37′23″W / 18.43139°N 64.62306°W / 18.43139; -64.62306
Official languagesEnglish
Ethnic groups
(2010[1])
76.9% Black
5.6% Hispanic
5.4% White
5.4% Mixed
2.1% Indian
4.6% other
Demonym(s)
GovernmentParliamentary dependency under a constitutional monarchy
• Monarch
Charles III
• Governor
Daniel Pruce
David Archer
• Premier
Natalio Wheatley
LegislatureHouse of Assembly
Government of the United Kingdom
• Minister
Stephen Doughty
Area
• Total
153 km2 (59 sq mi)
• Water (%)
1.6
Highest elevation
521 m (1,709 ft)
Population
• 2019 estimate
30,030 (222nd)
• 2010 census
28,054[1]
• Density
260/km2 (673.4/sq mi) (68th)
GDP (PPP)2017 estimate
• Total
$500 million[2]
• Per capita
$34,200
CurrencyUnited States dollar (US$) (USD)
Time zoneUTC-4:00 (AST)
Date formatdd/mm/yyyy
Driving sideleft
Calling code+1-284
UK postcode
VG-11xx
ISO 3166 codeVG
Internet TLD.vg
Websitehttps://gov.vg/

The British Virgin Islands (BVI),[3] officially the Virgin Islands,[4] are a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands and north-west of Anguilla. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles and part of the West Indies.

The British Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, along with more than 50 other smaller islands and cays.[5] About 16 of the islands are inhabited.[3] The capital, Road Town, is on Tortola, the largest island, which is about 20 km (12 mi) long and 5 km (3 mi) wide. The islands had a population of 28,054 at the 2010 Census, of whom 23,491 lived on Tortola;[1] current estimates put the population at 35,802 (July 2018).[3]

British Virgin Islanders are British Overseas Territories citizens and since 2002, are also British citizens.

  1. ^ a b c The BVI Beacon "Portrait of a population: 2010 Census published" p. 4, 20 November 2014
  2. ^ "British Virgin Islands". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency. 22 April 2022. (Archived 2022 edition.)
  3. ^ a b c "British Virgin Islands". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 13 July 2019. (Archived 2019 edition.)
  4. ^ According to the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007, the territory's official name is simply 'Virgin Islands'.
  5. ^ "Encyclopedia Britannica - BVI". Retrieved 13 July 2019.