british virgin islands код страны

Ответ от Валент[гуру]
Остров Тортола ("Земля горлицы" по-испански) - центральный и самый большой остров Британских островов.


History
The first inhabitants in Tortola history were the Ciboney, and later, the Arawak and Carib Indians,
Europeans began making their mark upon Tortola history after 1493, when Christopher Columbus spotted the British and US Virgin Islands and named them after the 11,000 virgins of 4th- century martyr St. Ursula. Though the Spanish made a few attempts to settle the area, famous pirates like Blackbeard and Captain Kidd were the first genuine inhabitants of the island
In the 17th century the British, who had successfully usurped control of the area from the Dutch, established a permanent plantation colony on Tortola and the surrounding islands. The sugar industry dominated Tortola history over the next 150 years, faltering only in the mid 1800s with the abolition of slavery. A large proportion of the white landowning population left the British Virgin Islands with this economic downturn, but the political relationship between the island and the British continued and has lasted through
Geography
Tortola is a mountainous island 13.5 miles (19 km) long and 3 miles (5 km) wide, with an area of 21.5 square miles (55.7 square km). Formed by volcanic activity, its highest peak is Mount Sage at 1750 feet (530 m). Tortola lies near an earthquake fault, and minor earthquakes are common.

Economy and demographics
The population of Tortola is 23,908. The principal settlement is Road Town, the capital of the British Virgin Islands.
Financial services are the main source of income to the island. The hugely popular International Business Companies Act, passed in the early 1980s, led to huge growth in government revenue. BVI residents are amongst the most affluent in the Eastern Caribbean. Because of this, a large number of residents from other Caribbean islands work there.
Even though the British Virgin Islands (BVI) are under the British flag, the U.S. dollar is the official currency. The island is home to many offshore companies that do business worldwide.