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There
are parts of the British Virgin Islands so beautiful, you'd happily marry
the closest iguana just so you could stay there forever. Think green
hills, blue skies, tripped-out sunsets and beaches where the loudest noise
is the donk of a coconut dropping on sand soft as a baby's bottom.
Once the hideaway of buccaneers and brigands, the islands now attract a
more salubrious yachting crew drawn by steady trade winds, well-protected
anchorages and a year-round balmy climate. Tourist development has been
limited by enlightened environmental policy.
The islands have a thoroughly different character from
their raucous neighbors. While the US Virgin Islands have pursued the
tourist dollar, the British Virgin Islands have been keen to stay limey
and out of the limelight.
Area: 59 sq km
Population: 19,615
Capital City: Roadtown
People: African descent (90%), North American, Asian
Language: English
Religion: Methodist (45%), Anglican (21%), Catholic (6%)
Government: Dependent territory of the United Kingdom
Head of State: Governor Tom Macan
Head of Government: Chief Minister Orlando Smith
GDP: US$183 million
GDP per capita: US$10,000
Inflation: 6.5%
Major Industries: Tourism, light industry, construction, rum,
concrete, offshore banking.
Major Trading Partners: US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, USA |