Editing British Virgin Islands (section)

==Etymology==
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.<ref name="cia.gov"/><ref name="Encyclopedia Britannica – BVI"/> The name was later shortened to "the Virgin Islands".<ref name="cia.gov"/>

The official name of the territory is still simply the "Virgin Islands", but the prefix "British" is often used. This is commonly believed to distinguish it from the neighbouring American territory which changed its name from the "[[Danish West Indies]]" to "[[Virgin Islands of the United States]]" in 1917. However, local historians have disputed this, pointing to a variety of publications and public records dating from between 21 February 1857 and 12 September 1919 where the territory is referred to as the ''British'' Virgin Islands.<ref name=Moll>{{cite news |last=Moll |first=Peter |date=15 December 2016 |title=Victorian news mined for VI history |newspaper=[[BVI Beacon]]}}</ref> British Virgin Islands government publications continue to begin with the name "The territory of the Virgin Islands", and [[British Virgin Islands passport|the territory's passports]] simply refer to the "Virgin Islands", and all laws begin with the words "Virgin Islands". Moreover, the territory's Constitutional Commission has expressed the view that "every effort should be made" to encourage the use of the name "Virgin Islands".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bvi.gov.vg/content/about-territory |title=About the Territory |publisher=Government of the Virgin Islands |access-date=31 March 2015}}</ref> But various public and quasi-public bodies continue to use the name "British Virgin Islands" or "BVI", including BVI Finance, BVI Electricity Corporation, BVI Tourist Board, BVI Athletic Association, [[BVI Bar Association]] and others.

In 1968 the British Government issued a memorandum requiring that the postage stamps in the territory should say "British Virgin Islands" (whereas previously they had simply stated "Virgin Islands"), a practice which is still followed today.<ref name=Moll /> This was likely to prevent confusion following on from the adoption of US currency in the territory in 1959, and the references to US currency on the stamps of the territory.