BLITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
General
The British Virgin Islands consist of a group of 36 mostly uninhabited islands, situated some 50 miles east of Puerto Rico. The population is 11,000 and the total land area approximately 59 square miles. The largest island is Tortola on which lies the capital, Road Town, where some 35% of the population lives. Other main islands are Anegada, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke, All the islands except Anegada are hilly, there are no rivers or stands of forests but there are remnants of primeval rain forest
on Tortola.
The islands were discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493, and about 100 years later were occupied by Dutch and then English buccaneers. In the 1670s the Governor of the Leeward Islands annexed Tortola to the British Crown and English planters settled on Virgin Gorda. They became a Presidency under the Federation of the Leeward Islands created in 1872, and when this was dissolved in 1956 they became a separate colony but continued to be admini- steredcby the Governor of the Leeward Islands until 1960.
Political
The British Virgin Islands are an internally self-governing dependent territory with a ministerial system of government. The new constitution, introduced in 1977, provides for an Executive Council of a Chief Minister, two ministers and the Attorney General. There is a Legislative Council comprising 9 elected members and the Attorney General. Elections are held at intervals of not more
There are than 5 years, with the last one being held in 1975. political parties.
Lconomic
This
The economy of the BVI expanded rapidly in the 1960s when the growth rate was one of the highest in the Caribbean. declined marginally from 1970, but 1976 showed signs of increased economic activity especially in the areas of tourism, agriculture and fishing. Tourism continues to be the mainstay of the economy and looks to be set to continue growing.