Territory Summary: British Virgin Islands
Territory Name: British Virgin Islands
Capital: Road Town
Official Visa & Travel Information:
Government Type: Overseas Territory of the UK with limited self-government; parliamentary democracy
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 (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.
Region: Caribbean
Population: 39,369 (2023 est.)
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.)
Languages: English (official), Virgin Islands Creole
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.)
Economic Overview: British Caribbean island territorial economy; strong tourism and services industries; vulnerable to hurricanes; navigating public debt insolvency since 2008 Crisis; considered a tax haven; high electrification costs; major rum exporter
Currency: United States Dollar (USD)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $500 million (2017 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate: 2% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per Capita: $34,200 (2017 est.)
Exports:
$23 million (2017 est.) note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
Comparison Ranking: 216
Export Commodities: aircraft, recreational boats, ships, hydrogen, halogens (2021)
Export Partners: Malta 30%, Seychelles 29%, Switzerland 14% (2019)
Imports:
$300 million (2017 est.) NA
Comparison Ranking: 208
Import Commodities: recreational boats, aircraft, refined petroleum, cars, furniture (2019)
Import Partners: Germany 32%, United States 22%, Italy 9%, France 7%, Seychelles 7% (2019)
Natural Resources: NEGL; pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism
Agricultural Products: fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish
Industries: tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore banking center
Industrial Production Growth Rate:
1.1% (2017 est.)
Comparison Ranking: 146
Unemployment Rate: 2.9% (2015 est.)
Natural Hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Geography:
Total: 151 sq km
Land: 151 sq km
Water: 0 sq km
(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)
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