Virgin Gorda

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most famous attraction. Virgin Gorda is known for its yacht clubs, secluded beach coast, natural attractions and excellent vistas of the entire archipelago.

The South Drop off Virgin Gorda known for deep sea fishing, and opportunities for various water sports are abundant on the island.

Igneri, Taíno and Carib Indians first populated Virgin Gorda. For many years, Virgin Gorda remained a stopping point for buccaneers and foreign fleets exploring the New World. A permanent settlement did not arrive on the island until 1680 when British planters arrived from Anguilla. The population steadily grew, and the first governor of the British Virgin Islands originally made Virgin Gorda the capital of the Territory before moving it to Tortola. By 1812 Virgin Gorda's population reached an all-time peak of 8,000 and many plantations on the island produced sugar cane, indigo, ginger and cattle as well as the mining of copper.

After the collapse of the plantation economy and the depletion of the copper mines, most abandoned Virgin Gorda leaving a population of about 600 in the early 20th C. However, by the late 1950s and early 1960s, development spurred by Laurence Rockefeller helped to begin boosting the economy. Today, tourism is the major industry of Virgin Gorda.