British Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands (abbreviated BVI), officially simply the Virgin Islands, are a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands and north-west of Anguilla. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. The British Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke, along with over 50 other smaller islands and cays. About 16 of the islands are inhabited. The capital, Road Town, is on Tortola, the largest island, which is about 20 km (12 mi) long and 5 km (3 mi) wide. The islands had a population of about 28,000 at the 2010 Census, of whom approximately 23,500 lived on Tortola; current estimates put the population at 35,800 (July 2018). British Virgin Islanders are British Overseas Territories citizens and since 2002 are British citizens as well. Although the territory is not part of the European Union and not directly subject to EU law, British Virgin Islanders are deemed to be citizens of the EU by virtue of their British citizenship. The islands were named 'Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes' by Christopher Columbus in 1493 after the legend of St Ursula and the 11,000 virgins. The name name was later shortened to 'the Virgin Islands'. The official name of the territory is still simply the 'Virgin Islands', but the prefix 'British' is often used. This is commonly believed to distinguish it from the neighbouring American territory which changed its name from the 'Danish West Indies' to 'Virgin Islands of the United States' in 1917. However, local historians have disputed this, pointing to a variety of publications and public records dating from between 21 February 1857 and 12 September 1919 where the Territory is referred to as the British Virgin Islands. British Virgin Islands government publications continue to begin with the name 'The territory of the Virgin Islands', and the territory's passports simply refer to the 'Virgin Islands', and all laws begin with the words 'Virgin Islands'. Moreover, the territory's Constitutional Commission has expressed the view that 'every effort should be made' to encourage the use of the name 'Virgin Islands'. But various public and quasi-public bodies continue to use the name 'British Virgin Islands' or 'BVI', including BVI Finance, BVI Electricity Corporation, BVI Tourist Board, BVI Athletic Association, BVI Bar Association and others. In 1968 the British Government issued a memorandum requiring that the postage stamps in the territory should say 'British Virgin Islands' (whereas previously they had simply stated 'Virgin Islands'), a practice which is still followed today. This was likely to prevent confusion following on from the adoption of US currency in the Territory in 1959, and the references to US currency on the stamps of the Territory. It is generally thought that the Virgin Islands were first settled by the Arawak from South America around 100 BC-200 AD, though there is some evidence of Amerindian presence on the islands as far back as 1500 BC. The Arawaks inhabited the islands until the 15th century when they were displaced by the more aggressive Caribs, a tribe from the Lesser Antilles islands. The first European sighting of the Virgin Islands was by the Spanish expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1493 on his second voyage to the Americas, who gave the islands their modern name.