Tortola is the largest and most populated of the British Virgin Islands, a group of
islands that form part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. Local tradition recounts
that Christopher Columbus named it Tortola, meaning "land of the Turtle Dove". Columbus
named the island Santa Ana. The later Dutch settled and called it Ter Tholen, after a
coastal island forming part of the west coast of the Netherlands. When the British took
over, they altered the name to its present-day Tortola.
History
Europeans began making their mark in Tortola history after 1492 when Christopher Columbus
spotted what are now called the British and US Virgin Islands and named them after the
13,000 virgins of the 5th-century martyr St. Ursula. The Spanish made a few attempts to
settle the area, but pirates such as Blackbeard and Captain Kidd were the first permanent
inhabitants of the island. In the 16th century, the English, who had
successfully usurped control of the area from the Dutch, established a permanent plantation
colony on Tortola and the surrounding islands. The sugar cane industry, dependent on the
slave labor of Africans transported from the continent, dominated Tortola history over
the next 180 years. It diminished in the mid-19th century after the abolition of slavery. A
large proportion of the white landowning population left the British Virgin Islands during the
economic downturn, but the political relationship between the island and the British continued
and has been maintained. In the late 1970s, the British businessman
Ken Bates attempted to lease a large part of the island on a 199-year lease, but this
was blocked after a protest movement led by islander Noel Lloyd forced the local government
to drop the plan. Today, a park on Tortola is named after Noel Lloyd and features a statue
in his honour. Geography
Tortola is a mountainous island 13.5 miles long and 3 miles wide, with an area of 21.5
square miles. Formed by volcanic activity, its highest peak is Mount Sage at 1750 feet.
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 popular International
Business Companies Act, passed in the early 1980s, led to significant growth in government
revenue. BVI residents are amongst the most affluent in the Eastern Caribbean. Numerous
residents from other Caribbean islands work there.
Although the British Virgin Islands are under the British flag, it uses the U.S. dollar
as its official currency due to its proximity to and frequent trade with the US Virgin Islands.
The island is home to many offshore companies that do business worldwide.
Attractions The Northern coast has the best beaches on
the island, including Smuggler's Cove, Long Bay, Cane Garden Bay, Brewer's Bay, Josiah's
Bay, and Lambert beach. In addition to beaches, there are sailing, surfing, scuba diving,
kite boarding, windsurfing, historic sites, hiking, and much more. This is a great site
for cruise boats. Transportation
Tortola can be reached both by sea and by air.
Flights to Tortola arrive at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport. The airport
is located on Beef Island, just to the East of Tortola, but it is connected by the Queen
Elizabeth II Bridge. Seaborne Airlines, Cape Air and Air Sunshine provide scheduled service
from San Juan. Island Birds Air Charter can connect you from San Juan, St Thomas, Antigua
or St Marten. Tortola also has taxi services. There are many ferry companies providing travelers
with the opportunity to arrive by sea. The ferries run between Charlotte Amalie in the
center of St. Thomas, and Red Hook in the East End of St. Thomas and St. John, and either
Road Town or the West End of Tortola. Education
The British Virgin Islands operates several government schools. [1]
The following pre-primary schools serve Tortola residents:
Althea Scatliffe Pre-Primary School Enid Scatliffe Pre-Primary School
The following elementary schools serve Tortola residents: [2]
Althea Scatliffe Primary School Seventh-day Adventist Primary School
Enis Adams Primary School Joyce Samuel Primary School
Ivan Dawson Primary School Leonora Delville Primary School
Francis Lettsome Primary School Alexandrina Maduro Primary School
Isabella Morris Primary School Ebenezer Thomas Primary School
Willard Wheatley Primary School The following High schools serve Tortola Residents:
Elmore Stout High School St George's Secondary School [3]
Seventh-day Adventist Secondary School Cedar International School [4]
Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre serves as Tortola's special needs school.[5]
The H. Lavity Stoutt Community College provides Tortola's Tertiary education
Notable people The X Factor season 1 winner, Melanie Amaro,
lived in Tortola with her grandmother as a child.
International singing star Iyaz, is from Carrot Bay, Tortola.
Olympic sprinter J'maal Alexander was born in Tortola.
Images
See also
British colonization of the Americas Dutch colonization of the Americas
References
External links Official website of the British Virgin Islands
Tourist Board