Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

1 (1999)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

9,000 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

worldwide telephone service domestic: NA international: submarine cable to Bermuda

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

9,000 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

NA

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (plus one cable company) (1997)

Televisions [time series]

4,000 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

Budget [time series]

revenues: $121.5 million expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Debt - external [time series]

$36.1 million (1997)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$2.6 million (1995)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

The economy, one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, which generates an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1997. 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 with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

39 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production [time series]

42 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)

Exchange rates [time series]

US currency is used

Exports [time series]

$6 million (1998)

Exports - commodities [time series]

rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

Exports - partners [time series]

Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $287 million (1999 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 1.8% industry: 6.2% services: 92% (1996 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $15,000 (1999 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

6.8% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$175 million (1998)

Imports - commodities [time series]

building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery

Imports - partners [time series]

Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

4% (1985)

Industries [time series]

tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

5.3% (1998)

Labor force [time series]

4,911 (1980)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

3% (1995)

Area [time series]

total: 150 sq km land: 150 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the island of Anegada

Area - comparative [time series]

about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds

Coastline [time series]

80 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Sage 521 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchment)

Geographic coordinates [time series]

18 30 N, 64 30 W

Geography - note [time series]

strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 20% permanent crops: 7% permanent pastures: 33% forests and woodland: 7% other: 33% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)

Natural resources [time series]

NEGL

Terrain [time series]

coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly

Administrative divisions [time series]

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Capital [time series]

Road Town

Constitution [time series]

1 June 1977

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI

Data code [time series]

VI

Dependency status [time series]

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Francis J. SAVAGE (since NA) head of government: Chief Minister Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May 1995; appointed after the death of former Chief Minister H. Lavity STOUTT) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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)

Government type [time series]

NA

Independence [time series]

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation [time series]

Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate)

Judicial branch [time series]

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

Legal system [time series]

English law

Legislative branch [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Territory Day, 1 July

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [E. Walwyn BREWLEY]; Independent People's Movement or IPM [Omar HODGE and Allen O'NEAL]; United Party or UP [Conrad MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were soon after (1672) annexed by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency.

Military - note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 20% (male 2,022; female 1,975) 15-64 years: 75% (male 7,517; female 7,102) 65 years and over: 5% (male 545; female 454) (2000 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

15.86 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate [time series]

4.59 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

black 90%, white, Asian

Infant mortality rate [time series]

21.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages [time series]

English (official)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 75.44 years male: 74.57 years female: 76.35 years (2000 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality [time series]

noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander

Net migration rate [time series]

12.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population [time series]

19,615 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.34% (2000 est.)

Religions [time series]

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)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.2 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.72 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports [time series]

3 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 113 km (1995 est.) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Merchant marine [time series]

none (1999 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Road Town

Railways [time series]

0 km