The five administrative subdivisions mentioned on some web pages are just statistical divisions, without any administrative relevance:
| Subdivision | Main town | Area km2 | Population (2010 census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anegada | The Settlement | 38.6 | 285 |
| Jost Van Dyke | Belle Vue (Jost Van Dyke) | 8.3 | 298 |
| Tortola | Road Town | 59.2 | 23,419 |
| Virgin Gorda | Spanish Town | 21.2 | 3,939 |
| Other Islands | Great Harbour (Peter Island) | 23.7 | 122 |
| British Virgin Islands | Road Town | 151.0 | 28,054 |
The "Other Islands" are mainly the islands south of Tortola (separated from it by theSir Francis Drake Channel and southwest of Virgin Gorda and detachedGinger Island, mainlyNorman Island,Peter Island,Cooper Island andSalt Island. These islands are also known under the informal nameLittle Sisters orSouthern Islands.
The present-day Administrative Districts of the British Virgin Islands were established since 2003, following the provisions of the Sister Islands Programme, 2003.[1]
Tortola, the surrounding islets, and the Little Sisters/Southern Islands are directly administered by the BVI Government, as an "Island". The 3 "Sister Islands", including the neighbouring islets, are administered through 3 Districts, run by District Officers, under the Deputy Governor of the BVI[2] "in order to monitor, promote and facilitate the delivery of Government services to the sister islands of Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke". This administrative setting is similar to that of some existing or former British dependencies - The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, or the Cook Islands - among others.
The Sister Islands Programme, 2003, establishes a Coordinator which works with, and supervises the District Officers, as a liaison with the central government.[3] There are no local government structures in the Territory.
There are sixCivil Registry Districts in the British Virgin Islands:
| Civil Registry District | Area |
|---|---|
| District A | Virgin Gorda |
| District B | Anegada |
| District C | East End (Tortola) |
| District D | Road Town (Tortola) |
| District E | West End (Tortola) |
| District F | Jost Van Dyke |
Civil Registry Districts C, D and E are subdivisions of the main islandTortola.
| Electoral District | Area |
|---|---|
| First | West End, Carrot Bay (Tortola) |
| Second | Meyers, Cane Garden Bay, Brewers Bay (Tortola) andJost Van Dyke |
| Third | Sea Cow's Bay and surroundings (Tortola) |
| Fourth | Road Town and surroundings (Tortola) |
| Fifth | Hunthum's Ghut and Long Trench (Tortola) |
| Sixth | Baugher's Bay and East Central Tortola |
| Seventh | Long Look (Tortola) andBeef Island |
| Eighth | East End, Greenland and Hope Estate (Tortola) |
| Ninth | Virgin Gorda andAnegada |