Virgin Islands

Territory of the U.S.

 
Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Area

Total area: 352 sq km
Land area: 349 sq km
Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land Boundaries

0 km

Coastline

188 km

Maritime Claims

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

International Disputes

None

Climate

Subtropical, tempered by easterly tradewinds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November

Terrain

Mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

Natural Resources

Sun
Sand
Sea
Surf

Land Use

Arable land: 15%
Permanent crops: 6%
Meadows and pastures: 26%
Forest and woodland: 6%
Other: 47%

Irrigated Land

Environment

Current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources
Natural hazards: rarely affected by hurricanes; frequent and severe droughts, floods, and earthquakes
International agreements: NA

Note: Important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural, deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

PEOPLE

Population

97,120 (July 1996 est.)
97,229 (July 1995 est.)

Note: West Indian (45% born in the Virgin Islands and 29% born elsewhere in the West Indies) 74%, U.S. mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 5%, other 8%

Age Structure

0-14 Years

15-64 Years

65 Years and Over

Population Growth Rate

-0.06% (1996 est.)
-0.29% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

17.57 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
18.49 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

-12.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
-16.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

12.54 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
12.54 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total population: 75.29 years
Male: 73.6 years
Female: 77.2 years (1996 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.29 children born/woman (1996 est.)
2.41 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Virgin Islander(s)
Adjective: Virgin Islander

Ethnic Divisions

Black 80%
White 15%
Other 5%

Religions

Baptist 42%
Roman Catholic 34%
Protestant">Episcopalian 17%
Other 7%

Languages

English (official), Spanish, Creole

Literacy

Labor Force

47,443 (1990 est.)

By occupation:

agriculture
industry
services
other (1990 est.)

GOVERNMENT

Names

Conventional long form: Virgin Islands of the United States
Conventional short form: Virgin Islands
former: Danish West Indies

Digraph

Type

Organized, unincorporated territory of the U.S. administered by the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior

Capital

Charlotte Amalie

Administrative Divisions

None (territory of the U.S.)

National Holiday

Transfer Day, 31 March (1917) (from Denmark to U.S.)

Constitution

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Legal System

Based on U.S.

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are U.S. citizens but do not vote in U.S. presidential elections

Executive Branch

Chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
Head of government: Governor Dr. Roy L. SCHNEIDER (since 5 January 1995) and Lieutenant Governor Kenneth E. MAPP (since 5 January 1995) were elected for four-year terms by universal suffrage; election last held 22 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998); results - Dr. Roy L. SCHNEIDER (ICM) 54.7%, former Lieutenant Governor Derek HODGE 42.6%

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

Senate

Elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held 5 November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (15 total) Democrats 7, independents 7, Republican 1

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held 5 November 1996); results - Victor O. FRAZER (Independent) 54.5%, Eileen R. PETERSON (Democrat) 45.5%; seats - (1 total) Independent 1; note - the Virgin Islands elects one representative to the U.S. House of Representatives

Judicial Branch

U.S. District Court

Handles civil matters over $50,000, felonies (persons 15 years of age and over), and federal cases

Territorial Court

Handles civil matters up to $50,000, small claims, juvenile, domestic, misdemeanors, and traffic cases

Political Parties and Leaders

Democratic Party, Marilyn STAPLETON; Independent Citizens' Movement (ICM), Virdin C. BROWN; Republican Party, Charlotte-Poole DAVIS

Member of

ECLAC (associate), IOC

Flag

White with a modified U.S. coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows an eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel

ECONOMY

Overview

Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The manufacturing sector consists of textile, electronics, pharmaceutical, and watch assembly plants. The agricultural sector is small, most food being imported. International business and financial services are a small but growing component of the economy. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1987 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

National Product Per Capita

$12,500 (1987 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

Unemployment Rate

3.7% (1992)

Budget

Revenues: $364.4 million
Expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1990 est.)

Exports

$2.8 billion (f.o.b., 1990)

Commodities:

Refined petroleum products

Partners:

U.S.
Puerto Rico

Imports

$3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1990)

Commodities:

Crude oil
Foodstuffs
Consumer goods
Building materials

Partners:

U.S.
Puerto Rico

External Debt

Industrial Production

Growth rate 12% (year NA); accounts for NA of GDP

Electricity

Capacity: 320,000 kW
Production: 970 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 9,172 kWh (1993)

Industries

Tourism
Petroleum refining
Watch assembly
Rum distilling
Construction
Pharmaceuticals
Textiles
Electronics

Agriculture

Truck gardens, food crops (small scale), fruit, sorghum, Senepol cattle

Economic Aid

Recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $42 million

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Exchange Rates

U.S. currency is used

Fiscal Year

1 October - 30 September

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

0 km

Highways

Total: 856 km
Paved: NA
Unpaved: NA

Ports

Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix

Merchant Marine

None

Airports

Total: 2
With paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

Note: International airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

60,000 telephones (1990 est.); modern telephone system using fiber-optic cable, submarine cable, microwave radio, and satellite facilities

Domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
International: submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations

Radio

Broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 8, shortwave 0 (1988)
Radios: 105,000 (1992 est.)

Television

Broadcast stations: 4 (1988)
Televisions: 65,000 (1992 est.)

DEFENSE FORCES

Note: Defense is the responsibility of the U.S.

History
World Atlas

last updated: 24 november 1997

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