Dictionary    Maps    Thesaurus    Translate    Advanced >   


Tip: Click Thesaurus above for synonyms. Also, follow synonym links within the dictionary to find definitions from other sources.

1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
British Virgin Islands
    n 1: more than 40 northeastern Virgin Islands (15 inhabited); a
         dependent territory of the United Kingdom

2. CIA World Factbook 2002
British Virgin Islands

   Introduction British Virgin Islands
   -----------------------------------
                            Background: First settled by the Dutch in 1648,
                                        the islands were annexed in 1672 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.
  
   Geography British Virgin Islands
   --------------------------------
                              Location: Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea
                                        and the North Atlantic Ocean, east
                                        of Puerto Rico
                Geographic coordinates: 18 30 N, 64 30 W
                        Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
                                  Area: total: 153 sq km
                                        note: comprised of 16 inhabited and
                                        more than 20 uninhabited islands;
                                        includes the island of Anegada
                                        water: 0 sq km
                                        land: 153 sq km
                    Area - comparative: about 0.9 times the size of
                                        Washington, DC
                       Land boundaries: 0 km
                             Coastline: 80 km
                       Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
                                        territorial sea: 3 NM
                               Climate: subtropical; humid; temperatures
                                        moderated by trade winds
                               Terrain: coral islands relatively flat;
                                        volcanic islands steep, hilly
                    Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
                                        highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
                     Natural resources: NEGL
                              Land use: arable land: 20%
                                        permanent crops: 6.67%
                                        other: 73.33% (1998 est.)
                        Irrigated land: NA sq km
                       Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July
                                        to October)
          Environment - current issues: 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 catchments)
                      Geography - note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin
                                        Islands and Puerto Rico
  
   People British Virgin Islands
   -----------------------------
                            Population: 21,272 (July 2002 est.)
                         Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 2,401;
                                        female 2,351)
                                        15-64 years: 72.7% (male 7,962;
                                        female 7,509)
                                        65 years and over: 4.9% (male 565;
                                        female 484) (2002 est.)
                Population growth rate: 2.16% (2002 est.)
                            Birth rate: 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                            Death rate: 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                    Net migration rate: 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population
                                        (2002 est.)
                             Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
                                        under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
                                        15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
                                        65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/
                                        female
                                        total population: 1.06 male(s)/
                                        female (2002 est.)
                 Infant mortality rate: 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
                                        est.)
              Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.85 years
                                        female: 76.84 years (2002 est.)
                                        male: 74.9 years
                  Total fertility rate: 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.)
      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
     HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
                                  AIDS:
                     HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
                           Nationality: noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
                                        adjective: British Virgin Islander
                         Ethnic groups: black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and
                                        mixed
                             Religions: Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%,
                                        Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%,
                                        Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist
                                        4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other
                                        2%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%,
                                        other 2% (1991)
                             Languages: English (official)
                              Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
                                        and write
                                        total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)
                                        male: NA%
                                        female: NA%
  
   Government British Virgin Islands
   ---------------------------------
                          Country name: conventional long form: none
                                        conventional short form: British
                                        Virgin Islands
                                        abbreviation: BVI
                     Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK;
                                        internal self-governing
                       Government type: NA
                               Capital: Road Town
              Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)
                          Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
                      National holiday: Territory Day, 1 July
                          Constitution: 1 June 1977
                          Legal system: English law
                              Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
                      Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
                                        (since 6 February 1952), represented
                                        by Governor Francis J. SAVAGE (since
                                        NA)
                                        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
                                        head of government: Chief Minister
                                        Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May 1995)
                                        cabinet: Executive Council appointed
                                        by the governor from 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 four-
                                        year terms)
                                        elections: last held 17 May 1999
                                        (next to be held NA 2003)
                                        election results: percent of vote by
                                        party - NA%; seats by party - VIP 7,
                                        CCM 1, NDP 5
                       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: Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM
                                        [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic
                                        Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United
                                        Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin
                                        Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T.
                                        O'NEAL]
          Political pressure groups and NA
                               leaders:
             International organization Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC
                         participation: (associate), Interpol (subbureau),
                                        IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO
                                        (associate)
   Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
     Diplomatic representation from the none (overseas territory of the UK)
                                    US:
                      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 British Virgin Islands
   ------------------------------
                    Economy - overview: The economy, one of the most stable
                                        and prosperous in the Caribbean, is
                                        highly dependent on tourism,
                                        generating an estimated 45% of the
                                        national income. An estimated
                                        350,000 tourists, mainly from the
                                        US, visited the islands in 1998. 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.
                                        Roughly 400,000 companies were on
                                        the offshore registry by yearend
                                        2000. 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.
                                   GDP: purchasing power parity - $311
                                        million (2000 est.)
                GDP - real growth rate: 4.4% (2000 est.)
                      GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $16,000
                                        (2000 est.)
           GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.8%
                                        industry: 6.2%
                                        services: 92% (1996 est.)
         Population below poverty line: NA%
     Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
                      percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
      Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (2000)
                           Labor force: 4,911 (1980)
           Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%,
                                        services NA%
                     Unemployment rate: 3% (1995)
                                Budget: revenues: $121.5 million
                                        expenditures: $115.5 million,
                                        including capital expenditures of
                                        $NA (1997)
                            Industries: tourism, light industry,
                                        construction, rum, concrete block,
                                        offshore financial center
     Industrial production growth rate: 4% (1985)
              Electricity - production: 42 million kWh (1999)
    Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
                                        hydro: 0%
                                        other: 0% (1999)
                                        nuclear: 0%
             Electricity - consumption: 39.1 million kWh (1999)
                 Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)
                 Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)
                Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; livestock,
                                        poultry; fish
                               Exports: $6.2 million (2000 est.)
                 Exports - commodities: rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals;
                                        gravel, sand
                    Exports - partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
                               Imports: $230 million (2000 est.)
                 Imports - commodities: building materials, automobiles,
                                        foodstuffs, machinery
                    Imports - partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
                       Debt - external: $36.1 million (1997)
              Economic aid - recipient: NA
                              Currency: US dollar (USD)
                         Currency code: USD
                        Exchange rates: the US dollar is used
                           Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
  
   Communications British Virgin Islands
   -------------------------------------
          Telephones - main lines in use: 10,000 (1996)
            Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
                        Telephone system: general assessment: worldwide
                                          telephone service
                                          domestic: NA
                                          international: submarine cable to
                                          Bermuda
                Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
                                  Radios: 9,000 (1997)
           Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus one cable company) (1997)
                             Televisions: 4,000 (1997)
                   Internet country code: .vg
       Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)
                          Internet users: NA
  
   Transportation British Virgin Islands
   -------------------------------------
                                Railways: 0 km
                                Highways: total: 177 km
                                          paved: 177 km
                                          unpaved: 0 km (2000)
                               Waterways: none
                       Ports and harbors: Road Town
                         Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over)
                                          totaling 70,285 GRT/6,946 DWT
                                          ships by type: passenger 1 (2002
                                          est.)
                                Airports: 3 (2001)
           Airports - with paved runways: total: 2
                                          914 to 1,523 m: 1
                                          under 914 m: 1 (2001)
         Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1
                                          914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)
  
   Military British Virgin Islands
   -------------------------------
                       Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the
                                        UK
  
   Transnational Issues British Virgin Islands
   -------------------------------------------
               Disputes - international: none
                          Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South
                                         American narcotics destined for the
                                         US and Europe
  
                                       



Common Misspellings >
Most Popular Searches: Define Misanthrope, Define Pulchritudinous, Define Happy, Define Veracity, Define Cornucopia, Define Almuerzo, Define Atresic, Define URL, Definitions Of Words, Definition Of Get Up, Definition Of Quid Pro Quo, Definition Of Irreconcilable Differences, Definition Of Word, Synonyms of Repetitive, Synonym Dictionary, Synonym Antonyms. See our main index and map index for more details.

©2011-2024 ZebraWords.com - Define Yourself - The Search for Meanings and Meaning Means I Mean. All content subject to terms and conditions as set out here. Contact Us, peruse our Privacy Policy