British Virgin Islands Introduction - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Background

First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the Leeward Islands (1872-1960); they were granted autonomy in 1967. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency. On 6 September 2017, Hurricane Irma devastated the island of Tortola. An estimated 80% of residential and business structures were destroyed or damaged, communications disrupted, and local roads rendered impassable.

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Definitions and Notes

NOTE: The information regarding British Virgin Islands on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of British Virgin Islands 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about British Virgin Islands 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.