British dependent territory
Date claimed 1672
Capital Road Town
Population 19,864
Population density 130 per square km (337 per square mile)

 

 

 

 

 


DESCRIPTION

An archipelago of 60 Caribbean islands, 15 of them inhabited, the British Virgin Islands lie at the northwestern end of the Leeward islands chain. Tourism, now a major economic activity, is suited to the tropical climate, but there is concern about its effect on the environment. There are also fears that traditional place-names are being altered to be more tourist-friendly. The offshore finance sector is important, and has been more tightly regulated since 1990, following scandals involving foreign companies registered in the territory.