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NAVIGATION
British Virgin Islands
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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
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Location:
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Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
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Geographic coordinates:
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18 30 N, 64 30 W |
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Map references:
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Central America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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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 |
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Area - comparative:
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about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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80 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
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Climate:
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subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds |
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Terrain:
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coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m |
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Natural resources:
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NEGL |
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Land use:
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arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) |
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Environment - current issues:
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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) |
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Geography - note:
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strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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21,272 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.16% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 75.85 years
female: 76.84 years (2002 est.) male: 74.9 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: British Virgin Islander |
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Ethnic groups:
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black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed |
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Religions:
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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) |
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Languages:
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English (official) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |