Virgin Islands are an archipelago located in the Caribbean sea., UPSC.

Virgin Islands

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Context: Atlantic front forming into tropical storm 'rapidly moving' west toward U.S. Virgin Islands.

Location

Virgin Islands, group of about 90 small islands, islets, cays, and rocks in the West Indies, situated some 40 to 50 miles (64 to 80 kilometres) east of Puerto Rico.
The islands extend from west to east for about 60 miles and are located west of the Anegada Passage, a major channel connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
Their combined land area is about 195 square miles (505 square kilometres).

Administration

Three political jurisdictions:

Virgin Islands, informally referred to as British Virgin Islands, a British overseas territory.
Virgin Islands of the United States, an unincorporated territory of the United States.
Spanish Virgin Islands, the easternmost islands of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, itself also an unincorporated territory of the United States.

Geography

Geology

The Virgin Islands themselves are the peaks of submerged mountains that rise from a submarine plateau.
A long process of undersea mountain building and uplift brought submarine ridges and peaks to the surface.
This was followed by periods of explosive volcanism, alternated with periods of coral reef deposits, changing sea levels and future intrusion, creating the islands.
The highest point is Mount Sage on Tortola, which is 1,710 feet (521 metres) high.

Climate

Tropical climate, moderated by trade winds.
Rainfall averages about 1,150 mm (45.3 in) per year.
Its natural hazards consist of hurricanes and tropical storms from July to October.

Vegetation