British Virgin Islands

Agriculture-products

fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

Budget

revenues: $77.1 million expenditures: $76.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY93/94)

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Debt-external

$4.5 million (1985)

Economic aid

$NA

Economy-overview

The economy, one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, which generates an estimated 45% of the national income. In 1985, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. An estimated 210,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 1996. 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 traditional close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as their currency since 1959.

Electricity-capacity

13,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

3,224 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

42 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

total value: $3.4 million (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$144 million (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 3% industry: 14% services: 83% (1989)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$11,000 (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

4.5% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $11.5 million (c.i.f., 1988) commodities: building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Industrial production growth rate

4% (1985)

Industries

tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center

Inflation rate-consumer price index

2.5% (1990 est.)

Labor force

total: 4,911 (1980) by occupation: tourism NA%

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1995)

Radios

9,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

worldwide telephone service domestic: NA international: submarine cable to Bermuda

Telephones

6,291 (1990 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1

Televisions

4,000 (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

3% (1995)

Area

total: 150 sq km land: 150 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the island of Anegada

Area-comparative

about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds

Coastline

80 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Sage 521 m

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 catchment)

Environment-international agreements

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates

18 30 N, 64 30 W

Geography-note

strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 20% permanent crops: 7% permanent pastures: 33% forests and woodland: 7% other: 33% (1993 est.)

Location

Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural hazards

hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)

Natural resources

NEGL

Terrain

coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly

Administrative divisions

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Constitution

1 June 1977

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI

Data code

VI

Dependency status

dependent territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor David MACKILLIGIN (since NA June 1995) head of government: Chief Minister Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May 1995; appointed after the death of former Chief Minister H. Lavity STOUTT) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor appointed by the queen; chief minister appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council

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)

Government type

NA

Independence

none (dependent territory of the UK)

International organization participation

Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate)

Judicial branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court

Legal system

English law

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 1 member from each of 9 electoral districts, 4 at large members; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 February 1995 (next to be held NA February 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-VIP 6, CCM 2, UP 2, independents 3

National capital

Road Town

National holiday

Territory Day, 1 July

Political parties and leaders

United Party or UP [Conrad MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]; Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [E. Walwyn BREWLEY]; Independent People's Movement or IPM [Omar HODGE and Allen O'NEAL]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military-note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Age structure

0-14 years: 21% (male 2,008; female 1,957) 15-64 years: 74% (male 7,079; female 6,689) 65 years and over: 5% (male 535; female 437) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

16.15 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

4.76 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

black 90%, white, Asian

Infant mortality rate

22.97 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.94 years male: 74.19 years female: 75.73 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality

noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander

Net migration rate

12.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

18,705 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

2.41% (1998 est.)

Religions

Protestant 86% (Methodist 45%, Anglican 21%, Church of God 7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%), Roman Catholic 6%, none 2%, other 6% (1981)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.22 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.72 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

none BRUNEI

Airports

3 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways

total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways

total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 113 km (1995 est.) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Merchant marine

none (1995 est.)

Ports and harbors

Road Town

Railways

0 km