British Virgin Islands

British Virgin Islands. Tour Guide. Tortola Island Virgin Gorda Anegada Jost Van Dyke. The Virgin Islands commonly referred to as the British Virgin Islands (BVI) is a British overseas territory located in the Caribbean to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands make up part of the Virgin Islands archipelago; the remaining islands constitute the US Virgin Islands and the Spanish Virgin Islands. The official name of the Territory is still simply the Virgin Islands but the prefix British is often used to distinguish it from the neighbouring American territory which changed its name from the Danish West Indies to Virgin Islands of the United States in 1917. British Virgin Islands government publications continue to begin with the name The Territory of the Virgin Islands and the Territory's passports simply refer to the Virgin Islands and all laws begin with the words Virgin Islands. Moreover the Territory's Constitutional Commission has expressed the view that every effort should be made to encourage the use of the name Virgin Islands.The Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Tortola Virgin Gorda Anegada and Jost Van Dyke along with over fifty other smaller islands and cays. About 15 of the islands are inhabited. The capital Road Town is situated on Tortola the largest island which is approximately 20 km (12 mi) long and 5 km (3 mi) wide. The islands have a population of about 27800 of whom approximately 23000 live on Tortola.