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The official name of the British territory is the Virgin Islands, and the official name of the U.S. territory is the Virgin Islands of the United States. In practice, the two island groups are almost universally referred to as the British Virgin Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The islands were named "Santa Úrsula y las Once Mil Vírgenes" by Christopher Columbus in 1493 after the legend of Saint Ursula and the 11,000 virgins. [3] [5] The name was later shortened to "the Virgin Islands".
He gave the islands their original Spanish names—Santa Cruz, San Tomas, and San Juan, all names with religious meanings. The collection of tiny islets, cays , and rocks dotting the sea around them reminded Columbus of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin martyrs , which inspired him to name the archipelago Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes ...
The United States took possession of the islands on March 31, 1917, and the territory was renamed the Virgin Islands of the United States. [27] [29] Every year, Transfer Day is recognized as a holiday, to commemorate the acquisition of the islands by the United States. [30] Rear Admiral James H. Oliver was the first American governor of the ...
The first European sighting of the Virgin Islands was by Christopher Columbus in 1493 on his second voyage to the Americas. Columbus gave them the name Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes (Saint Ursula and her 11,000 Virgins), shortened to Las Vírgenes (The Virgins), after the legend of Saint Ursula.
U.S. Virgin Islands: 1493 [121] Spanish: Islas Vírgenes: Named by Christopher Columbus for Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgins. [122] [121] The name "Virgin Islands of the United States" (U.S. Virgin Islands) was adopted in 1917 when the islands were purchased by the U.S. from Denmark. [123] [note 4] United States Minor Outlying Islands ...
The Virgin Islands also has a public transit system called the Virgin Islands Transit, or VITRAN, which services a fare of $1. These buses are discounted for both senior citizens and students with valid ID's. [32] The United States Virgin Islands is the only place under United States jurisdiction where the rule of the road is to drive on the ...
The island's indigenous Taino name is Ay Ay ("the river"). [3] Its indigenous Carib name is Cibuquiera ("the stony land"). [3] Its modern name, Saint Croix, is derived from the French Sainte-Croix, itself a translation of the Spanish name Isla de la Santa Cruz (meaning "island of the Holy Cross") given by Christopher Columbus in 1493. [4]