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Almighty Cruiser
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 37,265
Frubals:2147483647
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Summer Season – July through September
During the summer, daytime temperatures usually range between 80°F (27°C) and 95°F (32°C). The nights are typically cooler with temperature ranging usually in the low 80s F (27°C). July to December is the wet season when the territory gets most of its average monthly rainfall of 4” (110 mm). Summer winds move in an ESE direction at approximately 10 -12 knots. It is from these gentle breezes during the non-winter seasons, that the Sir Francis Drake Channel gets its nickname of “The Bathtub” – meaning gentle winds for sailors.
Autumn Season – September through November
September is among the warmest of months when the day temperatures can average in the 90s F (32-38°C) dropping to 75 - 80°F (25-27°C) at night. As the warmest time of year, daytime highs can reach 95°F (35°C) and over but nights normally remain comfortable. Winds during this season will average 10 - 20 knots, from an easterly direction, providing excellent sailing conditions and cool night ventilation. Short localized rain showers may pass over but they rarely last for more than 30 minutes.
- Religions: top
Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991)
- Religions: top
Christianity, Hinduism, Islamic Faith
- Dress Code: top
Casual. No swimsuits in town and no topless or nude sunbathing.
- Currency: top
The currency of the British Virgin Islands is the U.S. dollar. Travellers cheques and credit cards are accepted in most places of business. There are cash point machines located throughout the islands.
The British Virgin Islands are not a cheap getaway destination: food is pricey because most of it is imported, and accommodation is simply in short supply. The majority of visitors to the islands sleep on chartered yachts, and if that's the holiday you're looking for, expect to spend at least US$250 a day. Travelers willing to stay on land, yet enjoy fine dining and some nightlife, need about US$175 a day. Budget travelers can squeeze by on less than US$100 a day if they stay at cheaper guesthouses or camping grounds. Coming in the low season will reduce room prices and charter rental fees, sometimes by as much as half.
- ATM Machines: top
Road Town
Banco Popular
Barclays Bank
Barclays Bank at the Moorings
Chase Manhattan Bank
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West End
Barclays ATM at Pusser's Landing
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East End
H.L.Stoutt Community College, Paraquita Bay
Barclays Bank, Triple A Complex
- Time: top
Standard Time Zone: UTC/GMT – 4 hrs.
- Resident status: top
Purchase of a property in the B.V.I. does not, in itself, establish resident status; however, an identification card is available to a person who holds a Non-Belonger's Land Holding Licence, which will allow the holder to be granted leave to stay in the B.V.I. for a period of up to six months in any year . A certificate of residence, entitling the holder to remain in the Territory for an indefinite period, may be granted to a person who intends to reside permanently in the B.V.I. Information regarding residency can be obtained from the Immigration Department.
- Government: top
The Government of the British Virgin Islands is legally a constitutional democracy with the Executive Authority vested in Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, because of our colonial relationship with the United Kingdom. This democracy operates through parliamentary and ministerial systems. The Parliament or Legislative Council has thirteen representatives elected for a maximum of four years via a mixed system of nine districts and four country-wide.
The government has three branches: the Executive Council, the Judiciary and the Legislative Council. The Governor, as the representative of Her Majesty, the Queen, has special responsibility for the Courts, the Public Service, the Police, and Foreign Affairs. The Civil Service is divided into six ministries and a quasi-ministry, consisting of the subject portfolios under the Governor. There are approximately forty-four departments spread across the full range of government services except electricity, banking, and port and marine services, which are now public enterprises, wholly owned by the Government of the British Virgin Islands.
http://www.bvi.gov.vg
- Capital: top
Road Town, Tortola
- When to Go: top
The peak tourist season is December to May, but this has more to do with the weather in North America and Europe than it does with the reliably balmy Virgin Islands weather. It's therefore best to visit outside this period, when you can expect room rates to be about two-thirds of those charged during the busier months. An additional draw is that the calmer weather between April and August tends to keep the waters clearer for diving.
- Ethnic Groups: top
Black (90%), White, Chinese, Indians, Portuguese, Middle- East
- Tides: top
The BVI has two high tides and two low tides each day with a tidal range of 1 ft. (30cm) to 18” (45cm). The height of the tide partly depends on the atmospheric pressure. The higher the pressure - the lower the water level and conversely, the lower the pressure the higher the water level. It must be remembered that the British Virgin Islands are the dividing line between the Atlantic Ocean, on the northern side, and the Caribbean Sea on the southern. This gives our islands an exciting and stable weather pattern that is most favourable for vacationing as well as for agriculture and fishing.
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