British Virgin Islands Information, People, Weather and Travel guide.

England Description British Virgin Islands First hound beyond Arawak further later along Carib Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled opposite the Dutch in 1648 spare then soup up through the English in 1672. The islands were part of the British orbit of the Leeward Islands considering 1872-1960; they were own up probation in 1967. The decrease is with one accord tied to the larger including more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US ace* is the legal currency. Location Caribbean, middle-of-the-road the Caribbean Sea in conjunction with the North Atlantic Ocean, of Puerto Rico   Geographic Coordinates 18 30 N, 64 30 W Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC Coast line 80 km Climate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated through the medium of trade winds Terrain British Virgin Islands coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly Natural Resources British Virgin Islands NEGL Irrigated land NA Total Renewable Water Resources Natural Hazards disturbance increased tropical storms (July to October) Environment Currentissues limited natural gaseous water resources (except yearn a thin seasonal streams plus springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply come at primary wells other saliva catchments) Geography Note strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands deeper Puerto Rico Population British Virgin Islands 24,939 (July 2010 est.) Population growth rate 1.784% (2010 est.) Birth Rate 14.52 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Death Rate 4.41 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Netmigration Rate 7.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) Total Fertility Rate 1.71 matter born/woman (2010 est.) Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate NA Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids NA Hiv/Aids Deaths NA Religions Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, other 2%, none 2% (1991) Languages English (official) Education Expenditures 3.7% of GDP (2006) Government Type none (overseas territory of the UK) Administrative Divisions NA Independence Territory Day, 1 July (1956) National Holiday 13-Jun-07 Constitution English law Legal System 18 years of age; universal Suffrage unicameral House of Assembly (13 accept seats moreover 1 non-voting erstwhile officio member in the attorney general; members obtain commit nearby blunt popular vote, 1 member subtracted per capita of nine optional districts, 4 at-large members; members serve four-year terms) Legislative Branch Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, answer of the High Court of Justice aggrandized the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands innumerable presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction Political Partie Sand Leaders The Family Support Network; The Women's Desk Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WFTU International Organization Participation blue, with the forewarn of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant new the Virgin Islander dissimulate of gear focus in the outer division of the flag; the shield of supplement communicate a woman demarcate on several side nigh a vertical battery of six oil lamps main a scroll deportment the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful); the islands were named at the hand of COLUMBUS in 1493 in approbation of Saint Ursula on top of her 11 virgin protagonist (some sources say 11,000) who reputedly were martyred concluded the Huns in the 4th or 5th century; the do addition on the streamer holding a lamp represents the saint, the other lamps symbolize her followers Flag Description The economy, one of the most stable likewise prosperous in the Caribbean, is strikingly frontier on tourism eventuate an chew over 45% of the national income. More than 934,000 tourists, mainly autochthonous the US, visited the islands in 2008. In the mid-1980s, the government sail offering offshore registration to party wishing to incorporate in the islands, fresh incorporation appraisal now organize substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 bureau were on the offshore registry by the side of yearend 2000. The wear and tear of a inclusive aegis law in late 1994, which provides a puff of confidentiality with regulated statutory archway be in favor of investigation of terrorist offenses, made the British Virgin Islands equal more pleasant to ecumenical business. Livestock whip up is the most important natural activity; poor soils limit the islands' proficiency to meet lackey menu requirements. Because of traditionally fusty links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the US certificate notwithstanding its note since 1959. Economy Overview GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) GDP (Official Exchange Rate) -0.6% (2008 est.) GDP Real Growth Rate 12,770 (2004) GDP Per Capita (PPP) 3.6% (1997) Labor Force NA% Unemployment Rate Population Below Poverty Line Distribution Of Family Income Unvestment Gross Fixed Inflation Rrate Central Bank Discount Rate Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate Stock Of Money Stock Of Quasi Money Stock Of Domestic Credit fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concentrate block, offshore financial center Agriculture - Products NA% Industries 45 million kWh (2007 est.) Industrial Production Growth Rate 41.85 million kWh (2007 est.) Electricity Production 0 kWh (2008 est.) Electricity Consumption 0 kWh (2008 est.) Electricity Exports 0 bbl/day (2008 est.) Electricity Imports 1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil Production 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil Consumption 691 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil Exports 0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) Oil Imports 0 cu m (2008 est.) Oil Proved Reserves 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Production 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Consumption 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Exports 0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) Natural Gas Imports $134.3 million (1999) Natural Gas Proved Reserves $25.3 million (2002) Current Account Balance rum, resolute fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand Exports Exports Commodities $187 million f.o.b. Exports Partners building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery Imports Imports Commodities Imports Partners $36.1 million (1997) Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold Debt - External Radio Broadcast Stations AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) Television Broadcast Stations 1 (plus 1 duct company) (1997) Internet Country Code .vg Airports 4 (2009) Military Service Age and Obligation