Location of British Virgin IslandsUnited States Virgin IslandsBritish Virgin Islands
Country

British Virgin Islands

18.43° N, 64.64° W

No land border at all — every neighbor is across water, along 80 km of coast, the 162nd longest on Earth.

land borders 0 km · 164th/230 · coastline 80 km · 162nd/229
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value

Population
30,030
Area
151 km²
Population density
≈ 222 / km²
ISO codes
VG · VGB
GDP (nominal)
$1.6 billion
GDP per capita (PPP)
$40,500
Compare with…Open on map
How big, reallyDrawn at the same scale as Jersey — the next country down in size. Equal-area projection, not the map you are used to.
British Virgin Islands 151 km²Jersey 116 km²

geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area

Where British Virgin Islands sits in the world

Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.

  1. Median age38.8 years74th of 224 · median 32.6 years
  2. Life expectancy80.1 years56th of 224 · median 76.2 years
  3. Fertility rate1.39 children per woman199th of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
  4. Population30,030218th of 235 · median 5,454,073
  5. Total area151 km²212th of 228 · median 83,736 km²
  6. Coastline80 km162nd of 229 · median 402 km

Overview

Background

First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and annexed by the English in 1672. They were part of the British colony of the Leeward Islands (1872-1960) and were granted autonomy in 1967.

The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west, and the US dollar is the legal currency. In 2017, Hurricane Irma devastated the island of Tortola, destroying or damaging residential and business structures, disrupting communications, and rendering local roads impassable.

Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person

Geography

Set in the Caribbean between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, the British Virgin Islands lie east of Puerto Rico. Coral islands are relatively flat, while volcanic islands are steep and hilly. Their natural resources are negligible, while a pleasant climate and beaches foster tourism.

The British Virgin Islands have strong ties to the nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Mount Sage is the highest point. The Caribbean Sea is the lowest point.

Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person

Government

As an Overseas Territory of the UK with limited self-government, British Virgin Islands is governed through a parliamentary democracy. English common law forms its legal system. The latest of several previous constitutions took effect on 15 June 2007, under The Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007. British Virgin Islands has no independence and is an overseas territory of the UK. Territory Day, on 1 July (1956), is its national holiday.

Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person

Flag and symbols

A blue flag bears the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms on the right half. The arms show a woman between two columns of six oil lamps above a scroll reading VIGILATE (Be Watchful). The lamp-bearing figure represents Saint Ursula, and other lamps symbolize her followers. The national symbols are the zenaida dove and white cedar flower.

Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person

Key figures

CIA World Factbook

Economy

GDP (nominal)
$1.6 billion
GDP (PPP)
$1.63 billion
GDP per capita (PPP)
$40,500
Inflation (consumer prices)
8.5%

People

Life expectancy
80.1 years
Median age
38.8 years
Birth rate
10.8 per 1,000
Death rate
5.58 per 1,000
Fertility rate
1.39 children per woman
Population growth
+1.78% a year
Urban population
49.7%
Languages
  • Englishofficial
  • Virgin Islands Creole
Religions
  • Protestant70.2%Methodist 17.6%, Church of God 10.4%, Anglican 9.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 9.0%, Pentecostal 8.2%, Baptist 7.4%, New Testament Church of God 6.9%, other Protestant 1.2%
  • Roman Catholic8.9%
  • Jehovah's Witness2.5%
  • Hindu1.9%
  • other2.4%

Land

Total area
151 km²Land 151 km² · Water 0 km²
Coastline
80 km
Land borders
0 km
Highest point
521 m Mount Sage

Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.

Connections

Within
Borders

Natural geography 2

Natural Earth outlines · features with a Wikidata ID

Oceans 1

Seas 1

Sources