Road Town | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Road Town, Tortola | |
 Map showing Road Town within the BVI | |
| Coordinates: 18°25′53″N 64°37′23″W / 18.43139°N 64.62306°W | |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| British Overseas Territory |  British Virgin Islands |
| Island | Tortola |
| Elevation | 10 m (30 ft) |
| Population (2012)[1] | |
| • Total | 12,603 |
| Postal Code | VG1110 |
Road Town, located on Tortola, is the capital and largest town of the British Virgin Islands. It is situated on the horseshoe-shaped Road Harbour in the centre of the island's south coast. The population was about 15,000 in 2018.[2]
The name is derived from the nautical term "the roads", a place less sheltered than a harbour but which ships can easily get to. A 28 hectares (69 acres) development called Wickham's Cay,[3] consisting of two areas that were reclaimed from the sea and a marina, have enabled Road Town to emerge as a haven for yacht chartering and a centre of tourism.[4][5] This area is the newest part of the city and the hub for the new commercial and administrative buildings of the BVI. The oldest building in Road Town, HM Prison on Main Street, was built in 1774.[6]
- ^ "World Gazetteer". Archived from the original on 9 February 2013.
- ^ "British Virgin Islands Demographics Profile 2019". Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ "Introduction - Tortola - Real Travel". Archived from the original on 8 May 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
- ^ "404". www.cruising.org.
{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)[dead link] - ^ John M Bryden. Tourism and Development: a case study of the Commonwealth Caribbean. p. 151.
- ^ "A Visit to HM Prison – The Welcome Guide to the British Virgin Islands". www.bviwelcome.com.