<P> The Virgin Islands were first settled by the Arawak from South America around 100 BC (though there is some evidence of Amerindian presence on the islands as far back as 1500 BC). The Arawaks inhabited the islands until the 15th century when they were displaced by the more aggressive Caribs, a tribe from the Lesser Antilles islands, after whom the Caribbean Sea is named . </P> <P> 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 fanciful 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 . </P> <P> The Spanish Empire claimed the islands by discovery in the early 16th century, but never settled them, and subsequent years saw the English, Dutch, French, Spanish, and Danish all jostling for control of the region, which became a notorious haunt for pirates . There is no record of any native Amerindian population in the British Virgin Islands during this period, although the native population on nearby Saint Croix was decimated . </P> <P> The Dutch established a permanent settlement on the island of Tortola by 1648 . In 1672, the English captured Tortola from the Dutch, and the English annexation of Anegada and Virgin Gorda followed in 1680 . Meanwhile, over the period 1672--1733, the Danish gained control of the nearby islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John and Saint Croix . </P>

Map of the us and british virgin islands