; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor from among the
members of the Legislative Council

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats;
members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of
9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 February 1995 (next to be held NA February
2000)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--VIP 6,
CCM 2, UP 2, independents 3

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of
the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal; (one judge of the
Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the
High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary
Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders: United Party or UP [Conrad

International organization participation: Caricom (associate),
CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate),
UNESCO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of
the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory
of the UK)

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)

Economy

Economy--overview: The economy, one of the most prosperous in the
Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, which generates an
estimated 45% of the national income. In the mid-1980s, the
government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing
to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate
substantial revenues. An estimated 250,000 companies were on the
offshore registry by yearend 1997. The adoption of a comprehensive
insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of
confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation
of criminal offenses, is expected to make the British Virgin Islands
even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is
the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the
islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of
traditionally close links wit