2001 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2001 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Administrative divisions
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Age structure
0-14 years: 22.77% (male 2,399; female 2,339) 15-64 years: 72.31% (male 7,741; female 7,309) 65 years and over: 4.92% (male 555; female 469) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products
fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish
Airports
3 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) British Virgin Islands Military
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
Background
First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were soon after (1672) annexed by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency. British Virgin Islands Geography
Birth rate
15.18 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget
revenues: $121.5 million expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
Capital
Road Town
Climate
subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Coastline
80 km
Constitution
1 June 1977
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI
Currency
US dollar (USD)
Currency code
USD
Death rate
4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external
$36.1 million (1997)
Dependency status
overseas territory of the UK
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international
none
Economic aid - recipient
$2.6 million (1995)
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. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1997. 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. An estimated 250,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 1997. 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 traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959.
Electricity - consumption
39.1 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production
42 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)
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)
Ethnic groups
black 90%, white, Asian
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Francis J. SAVAGE (since NA) head of government: Chief Minister Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May 1995) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council
Exports
$6.2 million (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities
rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand
Exports - partners
Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March British Virgin Islands Communications
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) British Virgin Islands Economy
GDP
purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 1.8% industry: 6.2% services: 92% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
6% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates
18 30 N, 64 30 W
Geography - note
strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico British Virgin Islands People
Government type
NA
Highways
total: 132 km paved: 132 km unpaved: 0 km (1997)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA%
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe
Imports
$220 million (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities
building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery
Imports - partners
Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Independence
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Industrial production growth rate
4% (1985)
Industries
tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center
Infant mortality rate
20.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2% (2000)
International organization participation
Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate)
Internet country code
.vg
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
16 (2000)
Internet users
NA British Virgin Islands Transportation
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Labor force
4,911 (1980)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 20% permanent crops: 7% permanent pastures: 33% forests and woodland: 7% other: 33% (1993 est.)
Languages
English (official)
Legal system
English law
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - VIP 7, CCM 1, NDP 5
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.64 years male: 74.74 years female: 76.59 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA% British Virgin Islands Government
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
Merchant marine
total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,285 GRT/6,946 DWT ships by type: passenger 1 (2000 est.)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK British Virgin Islands Transnational Issues
National holiday
Territory Day, 1 July
Nationality
noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander
Natural hazards
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Natural resources
NEGL
Net migration rate
11.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Political parties and leaders
Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
Population
20,812 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Population growth rate
2.22% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors
Road Town
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
9,000 (1997)
Railways
0 km
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: 1.18 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Telephone system
general assessment: worldwide telephone service domestic: NA international: submarine cable to Bermuda
Telephones - main lines in use
10,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular
NA
Television broadcast stations
1 (plus one cable company) (1997)
Televisions
4,000 (1997)
Terrain
coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Total fertility rate
1.72 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate
3% (1995)
Waterways
none