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Background: First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were granted autonomy in 1967. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency. Definition: This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends. Source: CIA World Factbook - Unless otherwise noted, information in this page is accurate as of September 17, 2009 |
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