Page 209 - The Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands (or BVI), is a British overseas terri- islands are inhabited. The capital, Road Town, is situated on
tory located in the Caribbean to the east of Puerto Rico. Tortola, the largest island, which is approximately 20 km (12
The islands make up part of the Virgin Islands archipelago; miles) long and 5 km (3 miles) wide. The islands have a popu-
the remaining islands constitute the U.S. Virgin Islands and lation of about 28,000, of whom approximately 23,500 live
the Spanish Virgin Islands. The official name of the Territory is on Tortola. British Virgin Islanders are classed as British Over-
still simply the “Virgin Islands”, but the prefix “British” is often seas Territories citizens and since 2002 have had an entitle-
used to distinguish it from the neighboring American ter- ment to take up full UK citizenship. Although the territory
ritory. The British Virgin Islands consist of the main islands is not part of the European Union and not directly subject
of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke, along to EU law, its citizens are deemed to be citizens of the EU as
with over fifty other smaller islands and cays. About 15 of the well.