land area:
150 km2
comparative area:
about 0.8 times the size of Washington, DC
note:
includes the island of Anegada
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
80 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
3 nm
International disputes:
none
Climate:
subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Terrain:
coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Natural resources:
negligible
Land use:
arable land:
20%
permanent crops:
7%
meadows and pastures: 33%
forest and woodland:
7%
other:
33%
Irrigated land:
NA km2
Environment:
subject to hurricanes and tropical storms from July to October
Note:
strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

*British Virgin Islands, People

Population:
12,707 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.22% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
20.37 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
6.11 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
-2.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
19.68 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
72.62 years
male:
70.77 years
female:
74.6 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.28 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective:
British Virgin Islander
Ethnic divisions:
black 90%, white, Asian
Religions:
Protestant 86% (Methodist 45%, Anglican 21%, Church of God 7%, Seventh-Day
Adventist 5%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%), Roman Catholic
6%, none 2%, other 6% (1981)
Languages:
English (official)
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1970)
total population:
98%
male:
98% female:
98%
Labor force:
4,911 (1980)
by occupation:
NA

*British Virgin Islands, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
British Virgin Islands
Abbreviation:
BVI
Digraph:
VI
Type:
dependent territory of the UK
Capital:
Road Town
Administrative divisions:
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence:
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Constitution:
1 June 1977
Legal system:
English law
National holiday:
Territory Day, 1 July
Political parties and leaders:
United Party (UP), Conrad MADURO; Virgin Islands Party (VIP), H. Lavity
STOUTT; Independent Progressive Movement (IPM), C