British Virgin Islands Facts & Worksheets

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) is a territory of British and part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. They are located in the Antilles and part of the West Indies, which consists of the four larger islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke, and other smaller islands and cays.

See the fact file below for more information on the British Virgin Islands, or you can download our 28-page British Virgin Islands worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

• Christopher Columbus arrived in 1493, his second voyage to the Americas. This was the time when the first European sighting happened. He named the islands “Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes” ( St. Ursula and the Eleven Thousand Virgins). Later on, the name was shortened to “The Virgin Islands”.
• The Arawak Indians from South America were the first to settle in the Virgin Islands around 100 BCE. They were displaced by the aggressive Caribs, a tribe from the Lesser Antilles named after the Caribbean Sea.
• Charles V, the Habsburg Holy Roman emperor, sent a Spanish invasion force to claim the islands, and most of the Caribs were killed in 1596.
• In the early 16th century, the Spanish Empire claimed the islands by discovery. Still, it never settled them, and subsequent years saw the English, Dutch, Danish, Spanish, and French all jostling for control of the region, which became a haunt for pirates. 
• In 1648, the Dutch established a permanent settlement on the Island of Tortola. The English captured Tortola from the Dutch in 1672, and in 1680, the British annexed Anegada and Virgin Gorda. Meanwhile, the Danish gained control of the nearby islands of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix from 1672-1733.
• The British Islands were considered strategic possession principally. Sugarcane was introduced by the British to become the primary source and crop of foreign trades, and there were large numbers of enslaved people from Africa on the sugarcane plantations.
• In the middle of the nineteenth century, the islands prospered economically, not until the abolition of slavery, a series of disastrous hurricanes,  and the growth in the sugar beet crop reduced sugarcane production, which led to a period of economic decline.
• The United States purchased St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix from Denmark in 1917 to rename the United States Virgin Islands, but the British, who controlled them, renamed the islands the British Virgin Islands.
• The British Virgin Islands, as part of the British Leeward Islands with St. Kitts and Nevis, were administered variously by an administrator representing the British government on the islands.
• The islands have diversified from their traditionally agriculture-based economy to tourism and financial services, which have become the Caribbean’s wealthiest areas.
• The British overseas territorial flag consists of a blue background with a Union Jack and a badge bearing the British Virgin Islands coat of arms that has an image of Saint Ursula with twelve lamps surrounding it. White signifies peace and honesty. Red represents hardiness, bravery, strength, and valor, while blue stands for vigilance, truth, loyalty, perseverance & justice.

FOUR MAIN ISLANDS

• Virgin Gorda Island is one of the British Virgin Islands, lying 130 km east of Puerto Rico in the West Indies. It forms two rectangles joined by a point of the land. The peninsula is flat and strewn with granite boulders in the southwest, some more than 9 meters high.
• Anegada is also one of the main islands of the British Virgin Islands, which lies about 80 miles east-northeast of Puerto Rico. The word Anegada comes from the Spanish word “Drowned Island.” This island is relatively flat, made of coral and limestone, with very little subsoil and no water. The Anegada’s diverse wildlife includes the endangered Anegada rock Iguana. The bird sanctuary is home to ospreys, flamingos, terns, and herons, the latter of which were reintroduced to Anegada Island in the early 1990s.
• Jost Van Dyke Island is another British Virgin Islands main island in the Lesser Antilles, separating the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It was named after a Dutch pirate who lived on this island according to tradition. This island is roughly tadpole-shaped, and the terrain is rugged and elevated, reaching 321 meters. 
• Tortola Island is the largest island that is part of the Lesser Antilles chain, which separates the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The name Tortola comes from the Spanish word, which means “turtle dove.” The island is about 5 kilometers wide and lies about 60 miles east of Puerto Rico.

PEOPLE AND CULTURE

• The population of the British Virgin Islands is approximately twenty thousand, and three-fourths of them are from Tortola, which is known for the largest population in BVI. Fifty percent of the population is made up of native British Virgin Islanders.
• The British Virgin Islands’ culture is a hybrid. It mixes European, African, and Caribbean elements. Their primary language is English, and Spanish is spoken by Puerto Rican, Dominican, and other Hispanic immigrants
• Music. The British Virgin Islands’ traditional music is called fungi. The special sound of fungi is due to a unique local fusion between African and European music. The fungi bands, also called “scratch bands”, use instruments ranging from bongos, ukuleles, washboards, and calabash to more traditional western instruments like banjo, guitar, bass, keyboard, saxophone, and triangle. 
• Secular Celebrations. There are also secular celebrations in BVI. Major national holidays are New Year’s Day, Commonwealth Day, Sovereign’s Birthday, Territory Day, Festival, Saint Ursula’s Day, and Boxing Day. 
• The most anticipated national holidays are the three days of the Festival in August which is celebrated with beauty contests, competitions, food fairs, parades, and musical performances and dances.
• A British Virgins Islands folk dance troupe and local fungi bands regularly perform at local cultural events and represent the islands at regional cultural festivals. Local and even international calypso performers are also the central features of the show.
• Sport. Because of the climate and location, sailing is the favorite sport in the British Virgin Islands and is regarded as one of the major sports in all of the BVI. The Caribbean has the best sailing conditions because of the calm water and steady breezes it provides.
• Another sport that British Virgin Islanders love to do is football (soccer), a reminder of their British colonial heritage. At the same time, favorite American imports are baseball and softball. Sports such as basketball, squash, and cycling are also growing in popularity.

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

• The British Virgin Islands is a British overseas territory. The country is administered under the most recent constitution adopted in 2017 and provided greater internal self-government. 
• The British monarch appointed the Chief Executive Officer John James Rankin as Governor. At the same time, Premier Natalio Wheatly, a member of the House of Assembly (formerly the Legislative Council), was elected by the body’s majority party and then appointed by the Governor. He is the leader of the Virgin Islands Party. 
• A cabinet is nominated by the Premier and appointed and chaired by the Governor. The House of Assembly consists of 13 members plus the Speaker and the Attorney General.

ECONOMY

• The British Virgin Islands are a popular destination for U.S. citizens, with around 350,000 tourists who visit the islands annually.
• The economy of the British Virgin Islands has financial services and tourism. Politically, tourism is more important as it employs more people within the territory, and half of the islands’ income is based on tourism.

TOURISM

• Tourists love the sand beaches, visiting the Baths of Virgin Gorda, snorkeling near Anegada to see the coral reefs, experiencing the well-known bars of Jost Van Dyke, or riding charter yachts to explore the less accessible islands. 
• The British Virgin Islands are known as one of the world’s greatest sailing destinations with the use of charter boats. The BVI hosted the Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival in 1972.
• Only the people in the Virgin Islands are permitted to work as a driver of taxis.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Financial services in the British Virgin Islands that are associated with the territory’s status as an offshore financial center are another critical part of the economy.
• The Citco Group of companies and the Curacao International Trust Co., also known as CITCO, is a privately owned global hedge fund administrator founded in 1948 in the British Virgin Islands. 
• Successive governments have fought against propaganda and implemented tax exchange agreements.

AGRICULTURE

• In the 1970s, agriculture was the backbone of the economy until tourism replaced it. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity.
• The main crops are bananas, citrus fruits, coconuts, sugarcane, mangoes, and various root crops. Most crops are grown for local consumption, while some fruits and vegetables continue to be exported. 
• Fishing in the well-endowed coastal waters is a growing industry, and fresh fish have become significant export. Production of rum, paint and building materials is restricted.
• The cottage industry produces woven baskets and other items that appeal to the tourist trade. 
• Green mangoes, tawny pineapples, watermelons, papayas, and other tropical fruits are the colors of the BVI’s agricultural heritage. From the market to local agriculture, VI Farmers now market their goods to consumers in various ways.
• Fish and Fungi are the national dishes of the British Virgin Islands. It is an okra and corn meal that is boiled with butter, flattened into a cake and served with braised fish cooked with tomatoes, onions, and other traditional spices. It is a staple on dinner tables in restaurants.

British Virgin Islands Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the British Virgin Islands across 28 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the British Virgin Islands. The British Virgin Islands (BVI) is a territory of British and part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. They are located in the Antilles and part of the West Indies.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Battle of Quebec Facts
2. Fact or Bluff
3. Find and Shade
4. Fill It In!
5. Who Am I?
6. Give Me A History
7. Only the Right
8. More About 1775
9. Patriot or Traitor
10. Ending is a New Beginning
11. I Can Too

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the British Virgin Islands?

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) are a group of more than 60 Caribbean islands located east of Puerto Rico. They are a British Overseas Territory and are known for their beautiful beaches, clear waters, and sailing opportunities.

What is the capital of the British Virgin Islands?

The capital of the British Virgin Islands is Road Town, located on the main island of Tortola.

What is the official language of the British Virgin Islands?

The official language of the British Virgin Islands is English.

What is the currency used in the British Virgin Islands?

The currency used in the British Virgin Islands is the US dollar.

What activities can you do in the British Virgin Islands?

The British Virgin Islands offer a wide range of activities such as swimming, sailing, snorkeling, and diving in its crystal clear waters, visiting historic sites and museums, hiking, and exploring the natural wonders of the islands. Visitors can also enjoy its nightlife, dining, shopping and other recreational activities.

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