Tortola, Caribbean island in British Virgin Islands
Tortola is an island of roughly 55 square kilometers in the British Virgin Islands, with peaks rising to 530 meters (1,740 feet). The coastline holds many bays with white sand, while the interior shows green hills and winding roads that climb between valleys.
Dutch settlers first named the island Ter Tholen after a coastal region in the Netherlands, before British rule established its current name. During the 18th century, sugar plantations spread across the slopes, and their ruins remain visible along hillsides today.
The name may come from the Spanish word for turtledove, though its exact origin remains debated among historians. Today locals gather in small fishing villages such as Cane Garden Bay, where reggae music and grilled fish on the beach mark weekend afternoons.
Terrance B. Lettsome Airport connects travelers to major Caribbean destinations, while ferries run regularly to nearby islands. Roads climb steeply up and down, so a rental car with good brakes helps when exploring the coast and its many bays.
During the 1980s, the establishment of a financial center turned the island into a hub for international companies and banks. Today the number of registered firms far exceeds the resident population, giving Road Town an unusually busy administrative life.
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