Virgin Islands

Encyclopedia : V : VI : VIR : Virgin Islands

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The Virgin Islands are an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. The islands are divided into two parts, one of which, the British Virgin Islands to the east and north, is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. The other, the U.S. Virgin Islands to the west and south, is an unincorporated and organized United States territory.

Christopher Columbus named the islands Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes (shortened to Las Vírgenes), after Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virginal handmaidens. They were inhabited by Carib Indians, who were all murdered after Spain took over the islands in 1555 for the Holy Roman Empire under the rule of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor .

The islands were later peopled by Africans who were enslaved on sugar plantations, and on at least one indigo plantation. The sugar plantations are now gone, but the descendents of the slaves are still there, sharing a common West Indian culture with the other English-speaking islands of the Caribbean.

On both the British and the U.S. Virgin Islands, vehicles are driven on the left-hand side of the road and the currency is the United States dollar. From the CIA World Factbook 2000.

See also

• Music of the Virgin Islands
• Virgin Islands Creole

For details about the British Virgin Islands see

• British colonization of the Americas
• History of the British Virgin Islands
• Geography of the British Virgin Islands
• Demographics of the British Virgin Islands
• Government of the British Virgin Islands
• Economy of the British Virgin Islands
• Communications on the British Virgin Islands
• Transportation on the British Virgin Islands
• Military of the British Virgin Islands
• Transnational issues of the British Virgin Islands

For details about the United States Virgin Islands see

• Danish West Indies
• Danish colonization of the Americas
• History of the United States Virgin Islands
• Geography of the United States Virgin Islands
• Demographics of the United States Virgin Islands
• Politics of the United States Virgin Islands
• Economy of the United States Virgin Islands
• Communications on the United States Virgin Islands
• Transportation on the United States Virgin Islands

List of Notable Persons

• Archie Alexander
• Tim Duncan
• Alexander Hamilton
• Peter von Scholten
• Raja Bell
• Emile Griffith
• Camille Pissarro

 

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