Virgin Islands: The British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands
Immediately to the northeast of the U.S. Virgin Islands are the
Britain acquired the islands from the Dutch in 1666. Granted autonomy in 1967, they are governed under the constitution of 2007, which increased their responsibility for internal self-government. There is a unicameral House of Assembly whose 13 voting members are elected to four-year terms. The government is headed by a premier, and the monarch of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, represented by a governor, is the head of state. Andrew Fahie, of the Virgin Islands party, became premier in 2019.
Sections in this article:
- Introduction
- The British Virgin Islands
- The Virgin Islands of the United States
- Bibliography
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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