British Virgin Islands

Broadcast media

1 private TV station; multi-channel TV is available from cable and satellite subscription services; about a half-dozen private radio stations (2007)

Internet country code

.vg

Internet users

total: 14,600 (July 2016 est.) | percent of population: 43.6% (July 2016 est.)

Telephone system

general assessment: good overall telephone service; major expansion sectors include the mobile telephony and data segments, which continue to appeal to operator investment; several operators licensed to provide services within individual markets, most of them are small and localised (2017) | domestic: fixed-line connections exceed 29 per 100 persons and mobile cellular subscribership is roughly 125 per 100 persons (2017) | international: country code - 1-284; connected via submarine cable to Bermuda; the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable provides connectivity to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 10,004 (2017 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29 (2017 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 42,000 (July 2016 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (July 2016 est.)

Agriculture - products

fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

Budget

revenues: 400 million (2017 est.) | expenditures: 400 million (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

$362.6 million (2011 est.) | $279.8 million (2010 est.)

Debt - external

$36.1 million (1997)

Economy - overview

The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, which generates an estimated 45% of the national income. More than 934,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 2008. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the US dollar as its currency since 1959. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. 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, made the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business.

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

$23 million (2017 est.) | $23 million (2015 est.)

Exports - commodities

rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.028 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$500 million (2017 est.) | $490.2 million (2016 est.) | $481.1 million (2015 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 25.1% (2017 est.) | government consumption: 7.5% (2017 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 21.7% (2017 est.) | investment in inventories: 20.4% (2017 est.) | exports of goods and services: 94.7% (2017 est.) | imports of goods and services: -69.4% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0.2% (2017 est.) | industry: 6.8% (2017 est.) | services: 93.1% (2017 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$34,200 (2017 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2% (2017 est.) | 1.9% (2016 est.) | 1.8% (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA | highest 10%: NA

Imports

$300 million NA (2017 est.) | $210 million (2016 est.)

Imports - commodities

building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery

Industrial production growth rate

1.1% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.1% (2017 est.) | 1.1% (2016 est.)

Labor force

12,770 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 0.6% | industry: 40% | services: 59.4% (2005)

Population below poverty line

NA

Taxes and other revenues

38.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

2.9% (2015 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

183,300 Mt (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

117.5 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

97% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

45,200 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

126.3 million kWh (2016 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

20,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,227 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Area

total: 151 sq km | land: 151 sq km | water: 0 sq km | note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke

Area - comparative

about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds

Coastline

80 km

Elevation

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

Environment - current issues

limited natural freshwater resources except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola; most of the islands' water supply comes from desalination plants; sewage and mining/industry waste contribute to water pollution, threatening coral reefs

Geographic coordinates

18 30 N, 64 30 W

Geography - note

strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 46.7% (2011 est.) | arable land: 6.7% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 6.7% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 33.3% (2011 est.) | forest: 24.3% (2011 est.) | other: 29% (2011 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

territorial sea: 3 nm | exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)

Natural resources

NEGL; pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout the inhabited islands, with the largest islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke having the largest populations

Terrain

coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly

Administrative divisions

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Capital

name: Road Town | geographic coordinates: 18 25 N, 64 37 W | time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Constitution

several previous; latest effective 15 June 2007 (The Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007) (2018)

Country name

conventional long form: none | conventional short form: British Virgin Islands | abbreviation: BVI | etymology: the myriad islets, cays, and rocks surrounding the major islands reminded explorer Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers (Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes), which over time shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes)

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Gus JASPERT (since 22 August 2017) | head of government: Premier Orlando SMITH (since 9 November 2011) | cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the House of Assembly | elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed premier by the governor

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); the islands were named by COLUMBUS in 1493 in honor of Saint Ursula and her 11 virgin followers (some sources say 11,000) who reputedly were martyred by the Huns in the 4th or 5th century; the figure on the banner holding a lamp represents the saint; the other lamps symbolize her followers

Government type

parliamentary democracy (House of Assembly); self-governing overseas territory of the UK

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest courts: the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, travelling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside at the member states with 3 on the British Virgin Islands | judge selection and term of office: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 | subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts

Legal system

English common law

Legislative branch

description: unicameral House of Assembly (13 seats; 9 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies and 4 at-large seats by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms); note - the Assembly includes the attorney general, a non-voting ex officio member | elections: last held on 8 June 2015 (next to be held in 2019) | election results: percent of vote by party - NDP 60.2%, VIP 30.2%, PEP 4%, other 5.6%; seats by party - NDP 11, VIP 2

National anthem

note: as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)

National holiday

Territory Day, 1 July (1956)

National symbol(s)

zenaida dove, white cedar flower; national colors: yellow, green, red, white, blue

Political parties and leaders

National Democratic Party or NDP [Myron WALWYN] People's Empowerment Party or PEP [Alvin CHRISTOPHER] Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Julian FRASER]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were granted autonomy in 1967. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency. On 6 September 2017, Hurricane Irma devastated the island of Tortola. An estimated 80% of residential and business structures were destroyed or damaged, communications disrupted, and local roads rendered impassable.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.72% (male 2,949 /female 3,036) | 15-24 years: 12.98% (male 2,223 /female 2,425) | 25-54 years: 49.05% (male 8,230 /female 9,330) | 55-64 years: 11.93% (male 2,073 /female 2,199) | 65 years and over: 9.32% (male 1,611 /female 1,726) (2018 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Central America :: British Virgin Islands Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for British Virgin Islands. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate

11.1 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Death rate

5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 98% of population | rural: 98% of population | total: 98% of population | unimproved: urban: 2% of population | rural: 2% of population | total: 2% of population (2010 est.)

Education expenditures

6.3% of GDP (2015)

Ethnic groups

African/black 76.3%, Latino 5.5%, white 5.4%, mixed 5.3%, Indian 2.1%, East Indian 1.6%, other 3%, unspecified 0.8% (2010 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 11.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | male: 13.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | female: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.9 years (2018 est.) | male: 77.5 years (2018 est.) | female: 80.4 years (2018 est.)

Major urban areas - population

15,000 ROAD TOWN (capital) (2018)

Median age

total: 36.7 years | male: 36.5 years | female: 36.9 years (2018 est.)

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

16.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Population

35,802 (July 2018 est.)

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout the inhabited islands, with the largest islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke having the largest populations

Population growth rate

2.2% (2018 est.)

Religions

Protestant 70.2% (Methodist 17.6%, Church of God 10.4%, Anglican 9.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 9.0%, Pentecostal 8.2%, Baptist 7.4%, New Testament Church of God 6.9%, other Protestant 1.2%), Roman Catholic 8.9%, Jehovah's Witness 2.5%, Hindu 1.9%, other 6.2%, none 7.9%, unspecified 2.4% (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 97.5% of population (2015 est.) | rural: 97.5% of population (2015 est.) | total: 97.5% of population (2015 est.) | unimproved: urban: 2.5% of population (2015 est.) | rural: 2.5% of population (2015 est.) | total: 2.5% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 14 years (2015) | male: NA (2015) | female: NA (2015)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 0-14 years: 0.97 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 15-24 years: 0.92 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 25-54 years: 0.89 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.3 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 47.7% of total population (2018) | rate of urbanization: 2.42% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering

Airports

4 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 (2017) | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2017) | under 914 m: 1 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 2 (2013) | 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

VP-L (2016)

Merchant marine

total: 20 (2017) | by type: general cargo 4, other 16 (2017)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015) | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3 (2015)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Road Harbor

Roadways

total: 200 km (2007) | paved: 200 km (2007)