British Virgin Islands Travel Guide

The British Virgin Islands is an overseas territory located in the eastern Caribbean Ocean. Made up of 16 inhabited and 43 uninhabited islands, the British Virgin Islands (BVIs) is a mecca for sailors and beach-lovers from around the globe. It boasts hundreds of beautiful beaches, consistent trade winds, and crystal-clear waters.

The four major islands of the BVIs are Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, and Anegada. A large majority of the population is on Tortola, which is also the largest of the islands, as well as the business and tourist center of the nation.

Although there is evidence that the islands were inhabited as far back as 1500 B.C., there were few if any residents when the European powers began vying for control of the islands in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Claimed first by the Spanish, the islands were initially used by pirates. Later, they were settled by the Dutch, who established themselves on Tortola around 1650. By the end of the 17th century, however, the English had taken control of Tortola and much of what is now the British Virgin Islands.

The Islands have been self-governed since 1967 but remain a part of the Commonwealth. The economy of the British Virgin Islands, once based primarily on sugar-cane farming, is now based on tourism and off-shore banking.