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World > North America > British Virgin Islands
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British Virgin Islands |
Introduction:
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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 from 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.
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| Official name: |
British Virgin Islands |
| Capital: |
name: Road Town
geographic coordinates: 18 27 N, 64 37 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Government type: |
NA |
| Population: |
23,552 (July 2007 est.) |
| Languages: |
English (official) |
| Official Currency: |
US Dollar (USD)
Current US Dollar Exchange Rates
Historical US Dollar Exchange Rates
Chart US Dollar Exchange Rates |
| Currency code: |
USD |
| Area: |
total: 153 sq km
land: 153 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke |
| Climate: |
subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds |
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Map of British Virgin Islands
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