Place details
Place nameVirgin Islands
Other namesVírgenes, Islas, Jungfern-Inseln, Iles Vierges, Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes, St. Ursula and the Eleven Thousand Virgins
CountryGreater Antilles
Latitude18
Longitude-64
SourceThesaurus of Geographic Names
Overview
Comprises around 100 islands, located where the Greater and Lesser Antilles meet. The group is divided politically between Britain and the United States. Islands were initially inhabited by Arawaks, then by Caribs. It was sighted by Columbus in 1493. The islands were claimed at various times by the French, Danes, and Dutch.