Road Town

Road Town

Infobox Settlement
name =
official_name = Road Town
other_name =
native_name =
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settlement_type =Town
total_type =
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imagesize =
image_caption = Road Town, Tortola


flag_size =
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map_caption = Map showing Road Town within the BVI


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = British Virgin Islands
subdivision_type1 = Island
subdivision_name1 = Tortola
seat_type =
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population_as_of =2004
population_footnotes =
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population_total =9400
population_density_km2 =
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Road Town, located on Tortola, is the capital of the British Virgin Islands. It is situated on the horseshoe-shaped Road Harbour in the centre of the island's south coast. The town's population is about 9,400 (as of 2004). [http://www.thecommonwealth.org/YearbookInternal/140416/140421/british_virgin_islands/ United Kingdom - British Virgin Islands] Commonwealth Secretariat]

The name is derived from the nautical term "the roads", a place less sheltered than a harbour but which ships can easily get to. A convert|67|acre|ha|0|sing=on area called Wickhams Cay was reclaimed from the sea and is the centre of tourism. The oldest building in Road Town, the old HM Prison on Main Street, dates from the 1840s.

The town is one of the principal centres for bareboating (self-hire yacht chartering) in the Caribbean. Road Town is the headquarters of Tortola Marine Management, located in the Road Reef Marina, and The Moorings, which are two of the main charter boat companies operating out of Road Town/Road Harbor.

Geographical limits

There is some ambiguity as to the precise geographical extent of Road Town. Approaching the town from the west, a sign at the bottom of Slaney Hill greets visitors to Road Town. But traditionalists assert that the town itself only starts from Road Reef and Fort Burt, and that Prospect Reef Hotel (which covers almost all the land in between) is not technically in Road Town.

Approaching Road Town from the east, there is similar ambiguity if Road Town begins at the Port Purcell roundabout below Fort George, or whether it also includes Baughers' Bay.

Fort Burt and Fort George were the historical markers of the western and eastern limits of the town which benefitted from the protection of the Crown.


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Notes

External links

* [http://www.triptravelguide.com/british-virgin-islands/tortola/road-town/road-town-map.shtml Tortola Map & Guide]
* [http://www.caribbean-on-line.com/bv/rtmap.shtml Detailed map of Road Town]
* [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9063839/Road-Town Article from Encyclopedia Britannica]


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  • Road Town — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Road Town Road Town, Tórtola, Islas Vírgenes Británicas …   Wikipedia Español

  • Road Town — mit dem Hafen Road Town ist die Hauptstadt der Britischen Jungferninseln. Sie liegt auf der Hauptinsel Tortola und hat ungefähr 8.600 Einwohner (Stand 2006). Road Town verfügt über einen Handelshafen. Inhaltsverzeichnis …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Road Town — Administration Pays  Royaume Uni …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Road Town — Road′ Town n. geg a town on SE Tortola, in the NE West Indies: capital of the British Virgin Islands. 3976 …   From formal English to slang

  • Road Town —   [ rəʊd taʊn], Hauptstadt und hafen der British Virgin Islands, auf Tortola, (1991) 6 300 Einwohner …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Road Town — Original name in latin Road Town Name in other language Road Town, rodotaun State code VG Continent/City America/Tortola longitude 18.41667 latitude 64.61667 altitude 0 Population 8449 Date 2012 01 18 …   Cities with a population over 1000 database

  • Road Town Fort — is a colonial fort which was erected on Russell Hill in Road Town, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands above the town s main wharf. In historical records it is sometimes referred to as Fort Road Town. The fort subsequently fell into ruin, and… …   Wikipedia

  • Road Town — a town on SE Tortola, in the NE West Indies: capital of the British Virgin Islands. 3500. * * * ▪ British Virgin Islands       chief town and port of Tortola Island and tourist centre for the British Virgin Islands, situated on the western side… …   Universalium

  • Road Town — a town on SE Tortola, in the NE West Indies: capital of the British Virgin Islands. 3500. * * * the capital of the British Virgin Islands, situated on the island of Tortola; pop. 6,000 …   Useful english dictionary

  • Road Town — ► C. de las Islas Vírgenes Británicas, en la isla de Tortola, cap. del archipiélago; 12 331 h …   Enciclopedia Universal

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