Virgin Islands, British

I

Introduction

Virgin Islands, British, dependent territory of the United Kingdom in the eastern Caribbean Sea, comprising a group of 36 islands, 16 of them inhabited, and more than 20 islets and cays in the Leeward Islands chain, located at the northern end of the Lesser Antilles some 96 km (60 mi) east of Puerto Rico. The remainder of the Virgin Islands form the United States external territory of the Virgin Islands of the United States. The British Virgin Islands have a total land area of about 153 sq km (59 sq mi), of which more than 80 per cent is accounted for by four islands. They are, with their areas: Tortola (54 sq km/21 sq mi), Anegada (39 sq km/15 sq mi), Virgin Gorda (21 sq km/8 sq mi), and Jost Van Dyke (9 sq km/3.5 sq mi). The other inhabited islands include Peter Island, Cooper Island, Beef Island, Salt Island, and Norman Island. The capital, main port of entry, and only town in the group is Road Town, situated on the south-eastern coast of Tortola.

II

Land and Resources

The British Virgin Islands are chiefly volcanic in origin with a hilly to mountainous topography and numerous beaches. The only significant exception is Anegada, which is a coral and limestone atoll and very flat; nowhere on the island is more than a few metres above sea level. Mount Sage (542 m/1,780 ft) on Tortola is the highest point in the territory and in the Virgin Islands group as a whole. The climate is subtropical and moderated by the easterly trade winds. Temperatures average 29° C (85° F) during the year, while annual average rainfall is 1,250 mm (50 in).

The islands’ vegetation is generally luxurious and diverse. Palms, mahogany, tamarind, and sea grape trees are found, as well as various species of frangipani, hibiscus, bougainvillaea, and cactus; mangrove swamps are found along parts of the coast. The islands’ many beaches, climate, and clear waters are their main natural resources, attracting more than 200,000 visitors a year, mainly on cruise ships and private boats. The large coral reef that encircles Anegada is the site of more than 300 shipwrecks and a major attraction for divers. On Virgin Gorda’s southern coast is the British Virgin Islands’ most famous natural feature, the Baths—a grouping of giant boulders forming a series of spectacular pools and grottoes.

III

Population and Economy

The British Virgin Islands had a total estimated population in mid-1996 of 13,195. This represents a decrease of nearly 20 per cent over the 1991 census figure of 16,644, and reflects a general trend of population decline linked to outmigration. More than 95 per cent of the population lives on Tortola (80 per cent) and Virgin Gorda (15 per cent). The population of Road Town (1991 estimate) is about 6,630. More than 90 per cent of the population is black, the descendants of African slaves, with white and Asian minorities. English is the official language. The majority of the population profess Christianity, with most belonging to Protestant denominations.

Tourism is by far the most important industry, accounting for around 75 per cent of economic activity. Combined with other service sectors, notably financial services, tourism accounts for almost 86 per cent of gross domestic product. The sector also employs more than one third of the labour force. Financial services began to develop in the 1980s and the sector has expanded rapidly since; at the end of 1995 there were more than 168,000 international businesses registered in the islands. There is a small manufacturing sector based on rum and cottage industries. Shortage of fertile land means that much food has to be imported. Livestock-raising is the most important agricultural activity and fishing is significant. The British Virgin Islands runs a large trade deficit, with export earnings normally covering less than 3 per cent of import costs. However, earnings from tourism and financial services, and remittances from islanders living abroad normally more than cover this deficit. The United States, the US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico are the territory’s main trading partners, and the currency is the US dollar.

IV

Government and History

The British Virgin Islands has had a representative assembly since 1774. The islands’ present constitution dates from 1967, as amended in 1977 and 1994. The British monarch, represented by a governor, is head of state. The governor is responsible for defence, internal security, external affairs, public services, and the courts. The 15-member Legislative Council consists of 13 popularly elected members—9 representing local constituencies, and 4 “at large” seats covering the whole territory—a speaker, and the Attorney-General, who serves as an ex officio member.

Inhabited first by the Arawak and then by Carib peoples, the islands were first visited by Christopher Columbus in 1493. They were settled by the Dutch from 1648. In 1666 British planters took control of the islands away from the original settlers; in 1672 they became a British colony. During the 17th century the Virgin Islands were frequented by buccaneers and pirates. From 1871 to 1956 the islands were administered as part of the Federation of the Leeward Islands. When the federation was dissolved in 1956, the islands did not join the ultimately short-lived West Indies Federation (1958 to 1962) because of their traditional close links with the US Virgin Islands. Instead, they continued to be administered by the governor of the Leeward Islands until 1960, when direct responsibility was assumed by an appointed administrator (renamed “governor” in 1971). An amendment to the 1967 constitution, which established the legislative council, gave the islands greater self-government. During the 1990s the main concern of the administration has been with the use of the islands by drug traffickers, taking advantage of the many quiet bays. Efforts are being made to improve air and sea defences, and financial regulations have been tightened up to make it harder for the financial services sector to be used for processing the proceeds of drug trafficking.