Map of U.S. Virgin Islands | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: During the 17th century the archipelago was divided into two territorial units one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane produced by slave labor drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish portion which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.


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

Geographic coordinates: 18 20 N 64 50 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 352 km²
Land: 349 km²
Water: 3 km²
Comparative: twice the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 188 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: subtropical tempered by easterly trade winds relatively low humidity little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November

Terrain: mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

Natural resources: sun sand sea surf

Land use
Arable land: 15%
Permanent crops: 6%
Permanent pastures: 26%
Forests and woodland: 6%
Other: 47% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Geography
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


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Population: 122,211 (July 2001 est.)
Growth rate: 1.06% (2001 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Virgin Islander
Adjective: Virgin Islander

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

Languages: English (official) Spanish Creole

Religions: Baptist 42% Roman Catholic 34% Episcopalian 17% other 7%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 27.27% (male 17,121; female 16,204)
15-64 years: 63.92% (male 35,391; female 42,727)
65 years and over: 8.81% (male 4,638; female 6,130) (2001 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.06% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 15.9 births/1000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 5.47 deaths/1000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.12 migrant(s)/1000 population (2001 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male/female
15-64 years: 0.83 male/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male/female
Total population: 0.88 male/female (2001 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 9.43 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.27 years
Male: 74.38 years
Female: 82.39 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.25 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA%
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: NA
Total population: NA%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
Conventional short form: Virgin Islands
Former: Danish West Indies

Government type: NA

Capital: Charlotte Amalie

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix Saint John Saint Thomas

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday: Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US) 27 March (1917)

Constitution: Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Legal system: based on US laws

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch
Chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (Since 20 January 2001)
Head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999) and Lieutenant Governor Gererd LUZ James II (since 5 January 1999)
Cabinet: NA
Elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2002)
Election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL elected governor; percent of vote - Dr. Charles W. TURNBULL (Democrat) 58.9%, former Governor Roy L. SCHNEIDER (ICM) 41.1%

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 6, ICM 2, independents 7
Note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); results - Donna M. CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) elected

Judicial branch: US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHON]; Republican Party [Gary SCROUVE]

International organization participation: ECLAC (associate) Interpol (subbureau) IOC

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (territory of the US)
From the us: none (territory of the US)

Flag description: white with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow 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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Tourism is the primary economic activity accounting for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining textiles electronics pharmaceuticals and watch assembly. The agricultural sector is small with 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. The islands are subject to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline support construction projects in the private sector expand tourist facilities and protect the environment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

Agriculture products: fruit vegetables sorghum; Senepol cattle

Industries: tourism petroleum refining watch assembly rum distilling construction pharmaceuticals textiles electronics

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 47,443 (1990 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 1%
By occupation industry: 20%
By occupation services: 79% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4.9% (March 1999)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

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

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices: NA%

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $NA
Commodities: refined petroleum products
Partners: US Puerto Rico

Imports: $NA
Commodities: crude oil foodstuffs consumer goods building materials
Partners: US Puerto Rico

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used


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Electricity
Production: 1.02 billion kWh (1999)
Production by source fossil fuel: 100%
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1999)
Consumption: 948.6 million kWh (1999)
Exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 62,000 (1997)
Mobile cellular: 2000 (1992)

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

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .vi
Service providers isps: 50 (2000)
Users: 12,000 (2000)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports
Note: international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix (2000 est.)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways: none

Merchant marine: none (2000 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs