First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were granted autonomy in 1967. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency. On 6 September 2017, Hurricane Irma devastated the island of Tortola. An estimated 80% of residential and business structures were destroyed or damaged, communications disrupted, and local roads rendered impassable.
Location
Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Area Comparative
About 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Maritime Claims
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate
Subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Population Distribution
A fairly even distribution throughout the inhabited islands, with the largest islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke having the largest populations
Natural Hazards
Hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Environment Current Issues
Limited natural freshwater resources except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola; most of the islands' water supply comes from desalination plants; sewage and mining/industry waste contribute to water pollution, threatening coral reefs
Geography Note
Strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
