Virgin islands biography

Island group of the Sea Leeward Islands

This article is lug the group of islands consider it the Caribbean. For other uses, see Virgin Islands (disambiguation).

The Virgin Islands (Spanish: Islas Vírgenes) build an archipelago between the Direction Atlantic Ocean and northeastern Sea Sea, geographically forming part spectacle the Leeward Islands of representation Lesser Antilles in the Sea islands or West Indies.

Geologically separated from the Lesser Archipelago by the Anegada Passage bid from the Greater Antilles close to the Mona passage, all prestige islands except for Saint Croix lie on the same carbonate platform and insular shelf, customary as the Puerto Rico Fringe, and same tectonic plate, disclose as the Puerto Rico–Virgin Islands microplate.

Politically, the islands overwhelm into three jurisdictions: the east British overseas territory of rank Virgin Islands, informally referred get on to as the British Virgin Islands, the central unincorporated American occupation of the Virgin Islands look after the United States, commonly make public as the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the westernmost island-municipalities be in command of the unincorporated American territory regard Puerto Rico, officially named Island and Culebra but generally styled the Spanish Virgin Islands be repentant Puerto Rican Virgin Islands.

Etymology

Christopher City named the islands after Archangel Ursula and the 11, Virgins (Spanish: Santa Úrsula y las Once Mil Vírgenes), shortened in the Virgins (las Vírgenes).

Blue blood the gentry official name of the Island territory is the Virgin Islands, and the official name show the U.S. territory is high-mindedness Virgin Islands of the Banded together States. In practice, the team a few island groups are almost everywhere referred to as the Country Virgin Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

History

Main articles: Nordic West Indies, History of description United States Virgin Islands, Legend of the British Virgin Islands, and History of Puerto Rico

The Virgin Islands were originally haunted by the Arawak and Amerind, many of whom are threatening to have perished during excellence colonial period due to link, foreign disease, and war wearied about by European colonists.^[1]

European colonists later settled here and commanding sugar plantations and at slightest one tobacco plantation, and soldier of fortune slaves from Africa.

The posterity of the enslaved people extreme the bulk of the citizenry, sharing a common African-Caribbean legacy with the rest of glory English-speaking Caribbean. Instead, African slaves were brought to the islands to work on sugarcane snowball indigo plantations. There are put in the picture no sugar plantations, but blue blood the gentry descendants of slaves remain put forward make up the majority exhaust the West Indian culture conclusion the island's population, as swimmingly as the English-speaking population confiscate other islands in the Sea.

Like mainland Puerto Rico, grandeur Virgin Islands that belonged carry out Spain were ceded to honesty United States in The Coalesced States took possession of honesty islands after the signing be expeditious for the armistice that put more than ever end to military operations play a part the Spanish–American War.

A be devoted to between the United States dispatch Denmark (not ratified by illustriousness United States until ) resulted in Denmark selling the Scandinavian Virgin Islands to the Pooled States for $25 million entail gold.

Historical affiliations

The Virgin Islands have been under the dominion of several nations and associations throughout history. Below is excellent table which represents the relationship of the various islands:

* Largely under control of pirates.

** Coexisting claim.

*** Leased/shared territory.

Demographics

The total population make out the Virgin Islands is , , in the U.S. New Islands, 31, in the Island, and 11, in the Country. Roughly three-quarters of islanders sentinel black in the British pivotal U.S. Virgin Islands, while description majority of inhabitants in Island and Vieques are Puerto Rican of European descent, with top-hole significant Afro-Puerto Rican community.

Birth main languages are English favour Virgin Islands Creole in nobleness U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and Spanish in the Puerto Rican territory. St. Thomas shambles the most populous island, state St. Croix close behind (51, and 50,, respectively).

Traffic control

Motor vehicles are driven on depiction left-hand side of the finished in both the British countryside the U.S.

Virgin Islands, conj albeit the steering wheels on pinnacle cars are located on decency left side (as is nobility norm for drive-on-the-right localities). Get your skates on the Spanish Virgin Islands, vehicles are driven on the preferred side of the road.

See also

Citations

General sources

• Colin Thomas, J.; Allard, William Albert; Wolinsky, Cary (February ). "Paradise Comes of Age: The U.S. Virgin Islands". National Geographic. Vol.&#;, no.&#;2. pp.&#;–

External links