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BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
Map of BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
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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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Area:
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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 |
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Area - comparative:
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about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC |
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Coastline:
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80 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 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% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA |
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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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Population:
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24,004 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 19.9% (male 2,431/female 2,356)
15-64 years: 74.5% (male 9,176/female 8,708)
65 years and over: 5.6% (male 700/female 633) (2008 est.) |
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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 83.4%, white 7%, mixed 5.4%, Indian 3.4%, other 0.8% (1991 census) |
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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 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, other 2%, none 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% |
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
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total: 17 years
male: 15 years
female: 19 years (2005) |
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Education expenditures - percent of GDP:
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3.7% (2006) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
abbreviation: BVI |
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Dependency status:
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overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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name: Road Town
geographic coordinates: 18 27 N, 64 37 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
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Administrative divisions:
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none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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Independence:
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none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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National holiday:
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Territory Day, 1 July (1956)
Source: http://cia.gov
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