World Factbook
British Virgin Islands
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Area
land
151 sq km
note
note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke
water
0 sq km
total
151 sq km
Climate
subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Terrain
coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Land use
other
0% (2023 est.)
forest
66.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
46.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 6.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 6.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 33.3% (2023 est.)
Location
Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Coastline
80 km
Elevation
lowest point
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point
Mount Sage 521 m
Irrigated land
NA
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Land boundaries
total
0 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive fishing zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Geography - note
strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
Natural resources
NEGL; pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism
Area - comparative
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, D.C.
Geographic coordinates
18 30 N, 64 30 W
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