British Virgin Islands

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

18 30 N, 64 30 W

Central America and the Caribbean

151 sq km

151 sq km

0 sq km

About 0.9 times the size of Washington, D.C.

0 km

80 km

12 nm

200 nm

Subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds

Coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly

Mount Sage 521 m

Caribbean Sea 0 m

NEGL; pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism

46.7% (2023 est.)

Arable land: 6.7% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops: 6.7% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture: 33.3% (2023 est.)

66.5% (2023 est.)

0% (2023 est.)

NA

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

Hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)

Strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

40,102 (2024 est.)

19,042

21,060

British Virgin Islander(s)

British Virgin Islander

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.)

English (official), Virgin Islands Creole

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.)

16.6% (male 3,298/female 3,351)

71.3% (male 13,455/female 15,152)

12.1% (2024 est.) (male 2,289/female 2,557)

40.2 (2024 est.)

23.2 (2024 est.)

16.9 (2024 est.)

5.9 (2024 est.)

38.8 years (2025 est.)

38.1 years

38.9 years

1.78% (2025 est.)

10.8 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

12.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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

49.7% of total population (2023)

1.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

15,000 ROAD TOWN (capital) (2018)

1.05 male(s)/female

0.98 male(s)/female

0.89 male(s)/female

0.9 male(s)/female

0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

13 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

16 deaths/1,000 live births

10.7 deaths/1,000 live births

80.1 years (2024 est.)

78.6 years

81.7 years

1.39 children born/woman (2025 est.)

0.68 (2025 est.)

Total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

3.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

13.6% national budget (2025 est.)

11 years (2022 est.)

11 years (2022 est.)

11 years (2022 est.)

Limited natural freshwater resources; water pollution from sewage and mining/industry waste; coral reef preservation

Subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds

46.7% (2023 est.)

Arable land: 6.7% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops: 6.7% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture: 33.3% (2023 est.)

66.5% (2023 est.)

0% (2023 est.)

49.7% of total population (2023)

1.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

188,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

188,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

21,100 tons (2024 est.)

None

British Virgin Islands

BVI

The 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 was shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes)

Overseas Territory of the UK with limited self-government; parliamentary democracy

Overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing

Road Town

18 25 N, 64 37 W

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Name refers to the nautical term "roadstead" or "roads," a body of water less sheltered than a harbor but where ships can still lie at anchor

English common law

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

Initiated by any elected member of the House of Assembly; passage requires simple majority vote by the elected members of the Assembly and assent by the governor on behalf of the monarch

See United Kingdom

18 years of age; universal

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Daniel PRUCE (since 29 January 2024)

Premier Dr. Natalio WHEATLEY (since 5 May 2022)

Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the House of Assembly

The monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as premier

House of Assembly

Unicameral

15 (directly elected and appointed)

Full renewal

4 years

4/24/2023

VIP (6); NDP (3); PVIM (3); PU (1)

2027

The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and 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 travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the British monarch; 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

Magistrates' Courts

National Democratic Party or NDP Progressive Virgin Islands Movement or PVIM Progressives United or PU Virgin Islands Party or VIP

None (overseas territory of the UK)

None (overseas territory of the UK)

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

None (overseas territory of the UK)

Territory Day, 1 July (1956)

Description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman between two columns of six oil lamps, above a scroll with the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful) meaning: Christopher COLUMBUS named the islands in 1493 in honor of Saint Ursula and her virgin followers, and the figure holding a lamp represents the saint, with the other lamps symbolizing her followers

Zenaida dove, white cedar flower

Yellow, green, red, white, blue

"God Save the King"

Unknown

Official anthem, as a UK overseas territory

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

$1.634 billion (2024 est.)

$1.579 billion (2023 est.)

$1.537 billion (2022 est.)

$40,500 (2024 est.)

$38,600 (2023 est.)

$38,400 (2022 est.)

$1.598 billion (2024 est.)

8.5% (2022 est.)

2.8% (2021 est.)

1.4% (2020 est.)

Fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

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

$400 million (2017 est.)

$400 million (2017 est.)

Malta 33%, Guyana 22%, Greece 11%, Germany 7%, Indonesia 4% (2023)

Ships, refined petroleum, aircraft, molasses, precious stones (2023)

USA 34%, Italy 10%, France 9%, China 8%, Luxembourg 5% (2023)

Ships, refined petroleum, aircraft, railway cargo containers, jewelry (2023)

The US dollar is used

100% (2022 est.)

63,000 kW (2023 est.)

163.82 million kWh (2023 est.)

10.18 million kWh (2023 est.)

97.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

20 metric tons (2023 est.)

1,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

66.998 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

23,000 (2021 est.)

17 (2022 est.)

35,595 (2022 est.)

93 (2024 est.)

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

.vg

78% (2017 est.)

7,000 (2022 est.)

18 (2022 est.)

VP-L

3 (2025)

2 (2025)

29 (2023)

General cargo 3, other 26

1 (2024)

0

1

0

0

1

Road Harbor

Defense is the responsibility of the UK

41 (2024 est.)