8 Fun Facts About the British Virgin Islands You Didn't Know

The British Virgin Islands consist of approximately 60 Caribbean islands located in the North Atlantic Ocean. They are part of the Virgin Islands archipelago, with the remaining islands forming the US Virgin Islands and the Spanish Virgin Islands.

In this article, we cover 8 fun facts about the British Virgin Islands.

1. British Virgin Islanders are British citizens.

British Virgin Islanders are British Overseas Territories citizens and have held full British citizenship since 2002. As a British Overseas Territory, the British Virgin Islands operates under the British government while maintaining local governance through institutions such as the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, which serves the region.

2. The Virgin Islands were first settled by the Arawak people, likely somewhere around 100 BC.

The Virgin Islands were initially inhabited by the Arawak people, who migrated from South America. These early settlers thrived on the islands’ natural resources before being displaced by the Caribs.

3. Anegada is the only flat island in the British Virgin Islands, formed from coral and limestone, not volcanic rock.

The British Virgin Islands comprise the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke, along with more than 50 smaller islands and cays. Of these, only about 16 of the islands are inhabited.

Anegada is unique among the islands in the archipelago. Unlike the volcanic islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke, Anegada is a flat island composed entirely of coral and limestone.

Anegada is a flat island composed entirely of coral and limestone.

4. The islands’ constitution begins with a national belief in God.

The Virgin Islands Constitution Order emphasizes faith and national unity, starting with a belief in God.

5. Fungi is the traditional music of the British Virgin Islands, blending African and European influences.

Fungi music is deeply rooted in African and European music traditions. Virgin Islands Creole often features in fungi lyrics. Fungi is performed using simple, homemade instruments, like gourds, ukuleles and banjos.

Local laws ensure that British Virgin Islanders work in key sectors, such as transportation. (User:Mattes, CC BY 2.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons)

6. Taxi drivers are required to be Virgin Islanders by law.

As a neighboring American territory, the United States Virgin Islands (US Virgin Islands) influences many aspects of life in the British Virgin Islands. However, local laws ensure that British Virgin Islanders work in key sectors, such as transportation.

7. Vehicles drive on the left side of the road, but most cars are imported from the U.S. and built for right side driving.

Driving in the British Virgin Islands is an unusual experience. Vehicles drive on the left, a tradition inherited from the British Islands, but most cars are imported from the United States and built for right side driving.

Tourism contributes significantly to the island’s economy.

8. The British Virgin Islands enjoy a robust economy with tourism and financial services being a major draw for the island’s GDP.

Tourism contributes significantly to the island’s economy, but financial services power the economy. Visitors enjoy the numerous white sand beaches, steady trade winds, and pristine waters that define this Caribbean Sea paradise.

But the British Virgin Islands really sizzles as a pure tax haven, a location with minimal taxation on foreign individuals and businesses. The tax haven status has made the British Virgin Islands an economic powerhouse, attracting global investment and generating government revenue through company fees.

References

• BVI Government: The Official Government of the British Virgin Islands
• BVI Tourist Board: Official British Virgin Islands Tourism Site
• Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Official Site
• Lonely Planet: British Virgin Islands
• Tax Justice Network: British Virgin Islands
• UNESCO: UNESCO World Heritage