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TERRITORY PORTRAIT · THE WORLD ATLAS
British Virgin Islands
Find its place in the atlas, explore connected regions and follow the stories as they grow.
Find on the world mapPhoto: Bob Commander on Unsplash · Unsplash License
AT A GLANCE
British Virgin Islands in facts
- CapitalRoad Town
- Population39,7322025
- Area153 km²about 0.9 times the size of Washington, D.C
- CurrencyUnited States dollar
All geographic & statistical details (30)
- Density
- 260 people per km²
- Government
- Overseas Territory of the UK with limited self-government; parliamentary democracy
- World region
- Americas · Latin America and the Caribbean · Caribbean
- Official language
- English
- Time zone
- UTC−04:00
- Calling code
- +1284
- Drives on the
- left
- Land borders
- None
- Coastline
- 80 km
- Lowest point
- Caribbean Sea 0 m
- Climate
- Subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
- Life expectancy
- 77.4 years (2024)
- Terrain
- Coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
- Median age
- 38.8 years (2025 est.)
- Land use
- Agri 46.7%Forest 66.5%Other 0%
- Railways & airports
- 3 airports
- Natural resources
- Negl, pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism
- Urban population
- Urban 49.7%Rural 50.3%
- Major urban areas
- Road Town (capital) (000)
- Plug types
- NEMA 5-15, NEMA 1-15
- Ethnic groups
- African/Black 76.3%, Latino 5.5%, White 5.4%, mixed 5.3%, Indian 2.1%, East Indian 1.6%, other 3%, unspecified 0.8% (2010 est.)
- Religions
- Protestant 70.2% (Methodist 17.6%, Church of God 10.4%, Anglican 9.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 9.0%, Pentecostal 8.2%, Baptist 7.4%, New Testament Church of God 6.9%, other Protestant 1.2%), Roman Catholic 8.9%, Jehovah's Witness 2.5%, Hindu 1.9%, other 6.2%, none 7.9%, unspecified 2.4% (2010 est.)
- Mains voltage
- 110 V
- Emergency numbers
- 999
- Internet domain
- .vg
- ISO & UN codes
- VG · VGB · M49 092
- Official website
- bvi.gov.vg (opens in a new tab)
- Name origin
- The islets, cays, and rocks surrounding the major islands reminded explorer Christopher Columbus in 1493 of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers (Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes), which over time was shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes)
- Names in other languages
- Isole Vergini Britanniche, جزر عذراء بريطانية, ব্রিটিশ ভার্জিন দ্বীপপুঞ্জ, Britische Jungferninseln, Islas Vírgenes Británicas, جزایر ویرجین بریتانیا
+ 22 moreShow less
îles Vierges britanniques, બ્રિટિશ વર્જિન આઇલેન્ડ્સ, ब्रिटिश वर्जिन द्वीपसमूह, Kepulauan Virgin Inggris, イギリス領ヴァージン諸島, ಬ್ರಿಟಿಷ್ ವರ್ಜಿನ್ ದ್ವೀಪಗಳು, 영국령 버진아일랜드, ബ്രിട്ടീഷ് വിർജിൻ ദ്വീപുകൾ, ब्रिटिश व्हर्जिन द्वीपसमूह, Britse Maagdeneilanden, ਬਰਤਾਨਵੀ ਵਰਜਿਨ ਟਾਪੂ, Brytyjskie Wyspy Dziewicze, Ilhas Virgens Britânicas, Британские Виргинские Острова, பிரித்தானிய கன்னித் தீவுகள், బ్రిటిష్ వర్జిన్ దీవులు, หมู่เกาะบริติชเวอร์จิน, Britanya Virjin Adaları, Британські Віргінські острови, برطانوی جزائر ورجن, Quần đảo Virgin thuộc Anh, 英屬維爾京群島 - Capital location
- 18.4°N, 64.6°W
Maritime & nearby neighbours (1 place)
Neighbours from Wikidata (land borders and some sea borders; only places with a page here).
Facts: Wikidata Q25305, World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0: population, economy, life expectancy) and the CIA World Factbook (public domain: geography, demographics, borders, coastline and symbols), retrieved 1 November 2026. Figures can change; check the source for the latest.
The flag and symbols of British Virgin Islands
The flag
Blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman between two columns of six oil lamps, above a scroll with the Latin word Vigilate (Be Watchful).
What it means
Christopher Columbus named the islands in 1493 in honor of Saint Ursula and her virgin followers, and the figure holding a lamp represents the saint, with the other lamps symbolizing her followers.
National coloursYellowGreenRedWhiteBlue
National animals and emblems
Zenaida Dove
White Cedar Flower
Motto
“Be Vigilant”National anthem
"God Save the King"
unknown
National day
Territory Day, 1 July (1956)
Independence
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description and meaning, colours, symbols, anthem details, national day and independence: CIA World Factbook (public domain). Coat of arms, motto and recording: Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (credited above). Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), retrieved 1 November 2026.
Discover British Virgin Islands
This is a sourced directory entry. A researched regional chronicle and verified location photography are in preparation.
UK-listed overseas territory
UK overseas listing: United Kingdom. Status & relationship source ↗
Association follows the cited UK listing; it does not resolve sovereignty disputes.
A CLOSER LOOK
0 entriesExplore the regions
Explore the first-order regions in this GeoNames snapshot. Local names and levels vary.
No named first-order entries are available for this place in the selected export. Local administrative structures may still exist.
Names and immediate parent assignments: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0, 28 October 2026. Unspecified code 00 excluded. This is not an exhaustive list of districts, counties or municipalities. Photographs are credited individually beneath each image; one pictured place does not represent every landscape in its region.
Suggest a correction
Spotted a factual issue, a wrong location or a missing image credit? Tell us what needs checking.
Send a correction
Directory: UN M49 countries or areas, with 193 UN members, 2 observers and 53 other areas. Subdivisions: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0; filtered to this catalogue. Flags/symbols: flag-icons (MIT). Snapshot: 28 October 2026. Geographic groups are statistical. Associated-country links describe the cited relationship and do not settle sovereignty claims.
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