{
  "Introduction": {
    "Background": {
      "text": "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."
    }
  },
  "Geography": {
    "Location": {
      "text": "Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico"
    },
    "Geographic coordinates": {
      "text": "18 30 N, 64 30 W"
    },
    "Map references": {
      "text": "Central America and the Caribbean"
    },
    "Area": {
      "total": {
        "text": "151 sq km"
      },
      "land": {
        "text": "151 sq km"
      },
      "water": {
        "text": "0 sq km"
      },
      "note": {
        "text": "comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke"
      }
    },
    "Area - comparative": {
      "text": "about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC"
    },
    "Land boundaries": {
      "text": "0 km"
    },
    "Coastline": {
      "text": "80 km"
    },
    "Maritime claims": {
      "territorial sea": {
        "text": "3 nm"
      },
      "exclusive fishing zone": {
        "text": "200 nm"
      }
    },
    "Climate": {
      "text": "subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds"
    },
    "Terrain": {
      "text": "coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly"
    },
    "Elevation": {
      "mean elevation": {
        "text": "NA"
      },
      "elevation extremes": {
        "text": "lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m ++ highest point: Mount Sage 521 m"
      }
    },
    "Natural resources": {
      "text": "NEGL; pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism"
    },
    "Land use": {
      "agricultural land": {
        "text": "46.7% ++ arable land 6.7%; permanent crops 6.7%; permanent pasture 33.3%"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "24.3%"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "29% (2011 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Irrigated land": {
      "text": "NA"
    },
    "Population - distribution": {
      "text": "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": {
      "text": "hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)"
    },
    "Environment - current issues": {
      "text": "limited natural freshwater resources except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola; most of the islands' water supply comes from desalination plants"
    },
    "Geography - note": {
      "text": "strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico"
    }
  },
  "People and Society": {
    "Population": {
      "text": "34,232 (July 2016 est.)"
    },
    "Nationality": {
      "noun": {
        "text": "British Virgin Islander(s)"
      },
      "adjective": {
        "text": "British Virgin Islander"
      }
    },
    "Ethnic groups": {
      "text": "African/black 76.3%, Latino 5.5%, white 5.4%, mixed 5.3%, Indian 2.1%, East Indian 1.6%, other 3%, unspecified 0.8% (2010 est.)"
    },
    "Languages": {
      "text": "English (official)"
    },
    "Religions": {
      "text": "Protestant 70.2% (Methodist 17.6%, Church of God 10.4%, Anglican 9.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 9.0%, Pentecostal 8.2%, Baptist 7.4%, New Testament Church of God 6.9%, other Protestant 1.2%), Roman Catholic 8.9%, Jehovah's Witness 2.5%, Hindu 1.9%, other 6.2%, none 7.9%, unspecified 2.4% (2010 est.)"
    },
    "Age structure": {
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "16.79% (male 2,826/female 2,920)"
      },
      "15-24 years": {
        "text": "13.77% (male 2,257/female 2,456)"
      },
      "25-54 years": {
        "text": "49.57% (male 7,987/female 8,983)"
      },
      "55-64 years": {
        "text": "11.27% (male 1,881/female 1,977)"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "8.6% (male 1,431/female 1,514) (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Median age": {
      "total": {
        "text": "36.2 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "36 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "36.3 years (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Population growth rate": {
      "text": "2.28% (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Birth rate": {
      "text": "11 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Death rate": {
      "text": "5.1 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Net migration rate": {
      "text": "16.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Population distribution": {
      "text": "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"
    },
    "Urbanization": {
      "urban population": {
        "text": "46.2% of total population (2015)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "1.8% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Major urban areas - population": {
      "text": "ROAD TOWN (capital) 13,000 (2014)"
    },
    "Sex ratio": {
      "at birth": {
        "text": "1.05 male(s)/female"
      },
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "0.97 male(s)/female"
      },
      "15-24 years": {
        "text": "0.92 male(s)/female"
      },
      "25-54 years": {
        "text": "0.89 male(s)/female"
      },
      "55-64 years": {
        "text": "0.95 male(s)/female"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "0.95 male(s)/female"
      },
      "total population": {
        "text": "0.92 male(s)/female (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Infant mortality rate": {
      "total": {
        "text": "12.6 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "14.3 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "10.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Life expectancy at birth": {
      "total population": {
        "text": "78.6 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "77.2 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "80.1 years (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Total fertility rate": {
      "text": "1.28 children born/woman (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Drinking water source": {
      "improved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 98% of population ++ rural: 98% of population ++ total: 98% of population"
      },
      "unimproved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 2% of population ++ rural: 2% of population ++ total: 2% of population (2010 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Sanitation facility access": {
      "improved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 97.5% of population ++ rural: 97.5% of population ++ total: 97.5% of population"
      },
      "unimproved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 2.5% of population ++ rural: 2.5% of population ++ total: 2.5% of population (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": {
      "text": "NA"
    },
    "HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS": {
      "text": "NA"
    },
    "HIV/AIDS - deaths": {
      "text": "NA"
    },
    "Education expenditures": {
      "text": "4.4% of GDP (2010)"
    },
    "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "14 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "NA"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "NA (2009)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Government": {
    "Country name": {
      "conventional long form": {
        "text": "none"
      },
      "conventional short form": {
        "text": "British Virgin Islands"
      },
      "abbreviation": {
        "text": "BVI"
      },
      "etymology": {
        "text": "the myriad islets, cays, and rocks surrounding the major islands reminded explorer Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers (Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes), which over time shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes)"
      }
    },
    "Dependency status": {
      "text": "overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing"
    },
    "Government type": {
      "text": "parliamentary democracy (House of Assembly); self-governing overseas territory of the UK"
    },
    "Capital": {
      "name": {
        "text": "Road Town"
      },
      "geographic coordinates": {
        "text": "18 25 N, 64 37 W"
      },
      "time difference": {
        "text": "UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)"
      }
    },
    "Administrative divisions": {
      "text": "none (overseas territory of the UK)"
    },
    "Independence": {
      "text": "none (overseas territory of the UK)"
    },
    "National holiday": {
      "text": "Territory Day, 1 July (1956)"
    },
    "Constitution": {
      "text": "several previous; latest effective 15 June 2007 (2016)"
    },
    "Legal system": {
      "text": "English common law"
    },
    "Citizenship": {
      "text": "see United Kingdom"
    },
    "Suffrage": {
      "text": "18 years of age; universal"
    },
    "Executive branch": {
      "chief of state": {
        "text": "Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor John DUNCAN (since 15 August 2014)"
      },
      "head of government": {
        "text": "Premier Orlando SMITH (since 9 November 2011)"
      },
      "cabinet": {
        "text": "Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the House of Assembly"
      },
      "elections/appointments": {
        "text": "the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed premier by the governor"
      }
    },
    "Legislative branch": {
      "description": {
        "text": "unicameral House of Assembly (13 seats; 9 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies and 4 at-large seats by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms); note - the Assembly includes the attorney general, a non-voting ex officio member"
      },
      "elections": {
        "text": "last held on 8 June 2015 (next to be held in 2019)"
      },
      "election results": {
        "text": "percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 9, VIP 3, PEP 1"
      }
    },
    "Judicial branch": {
      "highest court(s)": {
        "text": "the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the itinerant superior court of record for the 9-member Organization of Eastern Caribbean States to include the British Virgin Islands; the ECSC - with its headquarters on St. Lucia - is headed by the chief justice and is comprised of the Court of Appeal with 3 justices and the High Court with 16 judges; sittings of the Court of Appeal and High Court rotate among the 9 member states; 3 High Court judges reside in member states; 3 High Court judges reside on the British Virgin Islands"
      },
      "judge selection and term of office": {
        "text": "Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62"
      },
      "subordinate courts": {
        "text": "Magistrates' Courts"
      }
    },
    "Political parties and leaders": {
      "text": "National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH];; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Julian FRASER]"
    },
    "Political pressure groups and leaders": {
      "text": "Family Support Network ++ Woman's Desk",
      "other": {
        "text": "environmentalists"
      }
    },
    "International organization participation": {
      "text": "Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU"
    },
    "Diplomatic representation in the US": {
      "text": "none (overseas territory of the UK)"
    },
    "Diplomatic representation from the US": {
      "text": "none (overseas territory of the UK)"
    },
    "Flag description": {
      "text": "blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful); the islands were named by COLUMBUS in 1493 in honor of Saint Ursula and her 11 virgin followers (some sources say 11,000) who reputedly were martyred by the Huns in the 4th or 5th century; the figure on the banner holding a lamp represents the saint; the other lamps symbolize her followers"
    },
    "National symbol(s)": {
      "text": "zenaida dove, white cedar flower; national colors: yellow, green, red, white, blue"
    },
    "National anthem": {
      "note": {
        "text": "as a territory of the United Kingdom, \"God Save the Queen\" is official (see United Kingdom)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Economy": {
    "Economy - overview": {
      "text": "The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism generating an estimated 45% of the national income. More than 934,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 2008. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the US dollar as its currency since 1959. ++  ++ Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. ++  ++ In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, made the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business."
    },
    "GDP (purchasing power parity)": {
      "text": "$500 million (2010 est.)"
    },
    "GDP (official exchange rate)": {
      "text": "$1.095 billion (2008)"
    },
    "GDP - real growth rate": {
      "text": "1.3% (2010 est.) ++ -0.6% (2008 est.)"
    },
    "GDP - per capita (PPP)": {
      "text": "$42,300 (2010 est.)"
    },
    "GDP - composition, by end use": {
      "household consumption": {
        "text": "68.9%"
      },
      "government consumption": {
        "text": "8.9%"
      },
      "investment in fixed capital": {
        "text": "25%"
      },
      "investment in inventories": {
        "text": "0%"
      },
      "exports of goods and services": {
        "text": "91.8%"
      },
      "imports of goods and services": {
        "text": "-94.6% (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "1%"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "11.1%"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "87.9% (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Agriculture - products": {
      "text": "fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish"
    },
    "Industries": {
      "text": "tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore banking center"
    },
    "Industrial production growth rate": {
      "text": "2.2% (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Labor force": {
      "text": "12,770 (2004)"
    },
    "Labor force - by occupation": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "0.6%"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "40%"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "59.4% (2005)"
      }
    },
    "Unemployment rate": {
      "text": "8.7% (2010 est.)"
    },
    "Population below poverty line": {
      "text": "NA%"
    },
    "Household income or consumption by percentage share": {
      "lowest 10%": {
        "text": "NA%"
      },
      "highest 10%": {
        "text": "NA%"
      }
    },
    "Budget": {
      "revenues": {
        "text": "$300 million"
      },
      "expenditures": {
        "text": "$300 million (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Taxes and other revenues": {
      "text": "27.4% of GDP (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": {
      "text": "0% of GDP (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Fiscal year": {
      "text": "1 April - 31 March"
    },
    "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": {
      "text": "1.1% (2016 est.) ++ 0.9% (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Current account balance": {
      "text": "$362.6 million (2011 est.) ++ $279.8 million (2010 est.)"
    },
    "Exports": {
      "text": "$23 million (2015 est.) ++ $23 million (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Exports - commodities": {
      "text": "rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand"
    },
    "Imports": {
      "text": "$200 million (2015 est.) ++ $200 million (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Imports - commodities": {
      "text": "building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery"
    },
    "Debt - external": {
      "text": "$36.1 million (1997)"
    },
    "Exchange rates": {
      "text": "the US dollar is used"
    }
  },
  "Energy": {
    "Electricity - production": {
      "text": "100 million kWh (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - consumption": {
      "text": "100 million kWh (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - exports": {
      "text": "0 kWh (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - imports": {
      "text": "0 kWh (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - installed generating capacity": {
      "text": "44,000 kW (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from fossil fuels": {
      "text": "100% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from nuclear fuels": {
      "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from hydroelectric plants": {
      "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from other renewable sources": {
      "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - production": {
      "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - exports": {
      "text": "0 bbl/day (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - imports": {
      "text": "0 bbl/day (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - proved reserves": {
      "text": "0 bbl (1 January 2016 es)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - production": {
      "text": "0 bbl/day (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - consumption": {
      "text": "1,200 bbl/day (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - exports": {
      "text": "0 bbl/day (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - imports": {
      "text": "1,209 bbl/day (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - production": {
      "text": "0 cu m (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - consumption": {
      "text": "0 cu m (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - exports": {
      "text": "0 cu m (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - imports": {
      "text": "0 cu m (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - proved reserves": {
      "text": "0 cu m (1 January 2014 es)"
    },
    "Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy": {
      "text": "200,000 Mt (2013 est.)"
    }
  },
  "Communications": {
    "Telephones - fixed lines": {
      "total subscriptions": {
        "text": "12,000"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "36 (July 2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telephones - mobile cellular": {
      "total": {
        "text": "42,000"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "126 (July 2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telephone system": {
      "general assessment": {
        "text": "good overall telephone service"
      },
      "domestic": {
        "text": "fixed-line connections exceed 35 per 100 persons and mobile cellular subscribership is roughly 125 per 100 persons"
      },
      "international": {
        "text": "country code - 1-284; connected via submarine cable to Bermuda; the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable provides connectivity to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean (2015)"
      }
    },
    "Broadcast media": {
      "text": "1 private TV station; multi-channel TV is available from cable and satellite subscription services; about a half-dozen private radio stations (2007)"
    },
    "Internet country code": {
      "text": ".vg"
    },
    "Internet users": {
      "total": {
        "text": "14,600"
      },
      "percent of population": {
        "text": "43.6% (July 2015 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Transportation": {
    "National air transport system": {
      "number of registered air carriers": {
        "text": "1"
      },
      "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": {
        "text": "3 (2015)"
      }
    },
    "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": {
      "text": "VP-L (2016)"
    },
    "Airports": {
      "text": "4 (2013)"
    },
    "Airports - with paved runways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "2"
      },
      "914 to 1,523 m": {
        "text": "1"
      },
      "under 914 m": {
        "text": "1 (2013)"
      }
    },
    "Airports - with unpaved runways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "2"
      },
      "914 to 1,523 m": {
        "text": "2 (2013)"
      }
    },
    "Roadways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "200 km"
      },
      "paved": {
        "text": "200 km (2007)"
      }
    },
    "Ports and terminals": {
      "major seaport(s)": {
        "text": "Road Harbor"
      }
    }
  },
  "Military and Security": {
    "Military - note": {
      "text": "defense is the responsibility of the UK"
    }
  },
  "Transnational Issues": {
    "Disputes - international": {
      "text": "none"
    },
    "Illicit drugs": {
      "text": "transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering"
    }
  }
}