British Virgin Islands
in Caribbean
North America

National active POI
Location Summary
Currency and Currency Code:
Dollar - USD
Spoken languages:
English
Local electricity:
110 V - 60 Hz (plugs: A, B)
Mobile phone / cellular frequencies (MHz):
850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz, 3G, 4G
ISO 2-Letter code:
VG
Internet top level domain:
.vg
Country phone prefix:
+1-284
Local Time (capital):
Timezone:
UTC/GMT offset: hours
Current travel safety evaluation for British Virgin Islands in Caribbean

Safety Score: 2,5 of 5.0 based on data from 9 authorites. Meaning we advice caution when travelling to British Virgin Islands.

Travel warnings are updated daily. Source: Travel Warning British Virgin Islands. Last Update: 2024-08-13 08:21:03

Explore British Virgin Islands

British Virgin Islands with its capital Road Town is located in North America (Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean). It covers some 152 square kilometers (about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC) with 35,015 citizens. English is the language commonly spoken used by the people in British Virgin Islands. This country shares no land borders with another country.

The British Virgin Islands are a self-governing British overseas territory, situated in the Caribbean just to the east of the US Virgin Islands. Nature is the main attraction in the islands, with coral reefs, white sandy beaches, and scenic seaside villages the main draw. Other attractions include historic villages, churches, and, if the sun is too much for you, a museum in Road Town, the shady Botanic Gardens or the rain forest on Sage Mountain in Tortola.

Popular Destinations in British Virgin Islands

Administrative regions of British Virgin Islands

About the country

Website: British Virgin Islands Tourism

P.O. Box 134
Road Town
Tortola
British Virgin Islands

Phone: +1-284 494 3134
Fax: +1-284 494 3866
Mail: bvitourb@surfbvi.com

The landscape is coral islands relatively flat and volcanic islands steep, hilly. The average density of population is about 232 per km². The climate in British Virgin Islands can be described as subtropicalhumid, temperatures moderated by trade winds. Potential threats by nature are hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October).

To reach someone British Virgin Islands dial +1-284 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".vg". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 110 V - 60 Hz (plugs: A, B). The sign for the locally used currency Dollar is USD.

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.

Flag of British Virgin Islands

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.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 217) 151sq km
Land (World Rank: 214) 151sq km
Forest (World Rank: 48) 33.30%
Comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Note comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke
Coastline
80
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 192) 521m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 79) 46.70%
Arable (World Rank: 137) 6.70%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 48) 6.70%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 48) 33.30%
Map reference
Central America and the Caribbean
Environment
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
Hazzards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Location
Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Climate
subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Terrain
coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly

People

Population
Total (World Rank: 211) 35,015
Deathrate (World Rank: 187) 0.51%
Birthrate (World Rank: 174) 1.11%
Growthrate (World Rank: 35) 2.25%
Migration rate (World Rank: 1) 1.65%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 215) 1.29%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 65) 36.30
Female (World Rank: 74) 36.60
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 213) 2,877
0 14 female (World Rank: 211) 2,971
15 24 male (World Rank: 210) 2,243
15 24 female (World Rank: 210) 2,437
25 54 male (World Rank: 210) 8,116
25 54 female (World Rank: 209) 9,170
55 64 male (World Rank: 212) 1,975
55 64 female (World Rank: 212) 2,086
65 x male (World Rank: 211) 1,522
65 x female (World Rank: 211) 1,618
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 116) 1.21%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 54) 79years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 71) 80years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 41) 77years
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 54) 97.50%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 80) 98.00%

Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 194) 126,000,000kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 163) 631,500,000kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 1) 658.30%
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 201) 1,200bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 197) 1,209bbl / day
Carbon footprint
200000

Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 94) 4% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 187) -9% of GDP
National symbol
zenaida dove
National colours
yellow
Adjective
British Virgin Islander
Noun
British Virgin Islander(s)
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.
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

Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 212) 500,000,000USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 162) 1.30%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 39) 42,300USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 198) 1.00%
Source industry (World Rank: 198) 11.20%
Source service (World Rank: 11) 87.80%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 212) 12,770
Products
Industries
  • - concrete block
  • - construction
  • - light industry
  • - offshore banking center
  • - rum
  • - tourism
Agriculture
  • - fish
  • - fruits
  • - livestock
  • - poultry
  • - vegetables
Exports
  • - animals
  • - fresh fish
  • - fruits
  • - gravel
  • - rum
  • - sand
Imports
  • - automobiles
  • - building materials
  • - foodstuffs
  • - machinery

Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 189) 12,000
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 48) 36.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 66) 126.00
Assessment 0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 207) 14,600
Population (World Rank: 135) 43.60%

Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 191) 2.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 170) 2.00
Road
Total length (World Rank: 209) 200.00
Paved length (World Rank: 169) 200.00

Popular places in this country

This is a list of famous places in this country in alphabetical order.