The British Virgin Islands is a British overseas territory located east of Puerto Rico, in the waters of the Caribbean Sea. The islands are part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands, being the other islands part of the Virgin Islands of the United States and of the Spanish Virgin Islands belonging to Puerto Rico. The official name of the Territory is "Virgin Islands", and the term "British" is generally used to distinguish them from other neighboring territories belonging to the archipelago. The publications of the government of the territory continue putting "The Territory of the Virgin Islands" and in the passports it only makes reference to the "Virgin Islands". The archipelago is constituted by forty islands, of which eleven are inhabited.
The biggest ones are Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke. The population of the archipelago is 27 800 inhabitants, living 23 000 on the island of Tortola.