Statistical information U.S. Virgin Islands 2015

U.S. Virgin Islands in the World

U.S. Virgin Islands - Introduction 2015

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Background: The Danes secured control over the southern Virgin Islands of Saint Thomas Saint John and Saint Croix during the 17th and early 18th centuries. Sugarcane produced by African slave labor drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish holdings which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

U.S. Virgin Islands - Geography 2015

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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: 1910 km²
Land: 346 km²
Water: 1564 km²
Rank: 182
Comparative: twice the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 188 km

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

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

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

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

Natural resources: sun sand sea surf

Land use

Land use
Agricultural land: 11.5%

arable land: 2.9%
permanent crops: 2.9%
permanent pasture: 5.7%

Forest: 57.4%
Other: 31.1%

Irrigated land: 1 km² (2011)

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

U.S. Virgin Islands - People 2015

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Population: 103,574 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 195
Growth rate: -0.59% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 226
Below poverty line: 28.9% (2002 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Virgin Islander
Adjective: Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups: black 76% white 15.6% Asian 1.4% other 4.9% mixed 2.1%
Note: 17.4% self-identify as latino

Languages: English 71.6% Spanish or Spanish Creole 17.2% French or French Creole 8.6% other 2.5% (2010 est.)

Religions: Protestant 59% (Baptist 42% Episcopalian 17%) Roman Catholic 34% other 7%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years: 17.47%
15-24 years: 9.87%
25-54 years: 38.71%
55-64 years: 14.49%
65 years and over: 19.46% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 61.2%
Youth dependency ratio: 32.8%
Elderly dependency ratio: 28.4%
Potential support ratio: 3.5%

Median age
Total: 44.9 years
Male: 45.2 years
Female: 44.7 years

Population growth rate: -0.59% (2015 est.)
Rank: 226

Birth rate: 10.31 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 189

Death rate: 8.54 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 76

Net migration rate: -7.67 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 206

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 95.3% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.25% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: CHARLOTTE AMALIE (capital) 52,000 (2014)

Environment
Current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male/female
15-24 years: 0.83 male/female
25-54 years: 0.82 male/female
55-64 years: 0.92 male/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male/female
Total population: 0.87 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 6.64 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 7.35 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 5.89 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 162

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.89 years
Male: 76.84 years
Female: 83.11 years
Rank: 41

Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 167

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access:

urban: 96.4% of population
rural: 96.4% of population
total: 96.4% of population
urban: 3.6% of population
rural: 3.6% of population
total: 3.6% of population (2015 est.)

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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment

U.S. Virgin Islands - Government 2015

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Country name
Conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
Conventional short form: Virgin Islands
Former: Danish West Indies
Abbreviation: USVI
Note: the myriad islets cays and rocks surrounding the major islands reminded Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers which over time shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes)

Government type: NA

Capital
Name: Charlotte Amalie
Geographic coordinates: 18 21 N 64 56 W
Time difference: UTC-4

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government but there are 3 islands at the second order; Saint Croix Saint John Saint Thomas

Dependent areas

Independence: none (territory of the US)

National holiday: Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US) 31 March (1917)

Constitution: 22 July 1954 - the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands functions as a constitution for this territory of the US; revised 1962 2000 (2015)

Legal system: US common law

International law organization participation

Citizenship: see United States

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA ; Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
Head of government: Governor Kenneth MAPP Lieutenant Governor Osbert POTTER (since 5 January 2015)
Cabinet: Territorial Cabinet appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate
Electionsappointments: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term ; under the US Constitution residents of the Virgin Islands do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however they may vote in the Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 4 November 2014 (next to be held in November 2018)
Election results: Kenneth MAPP elected governor; percent of vote in runoff - Kenneth MAPP 63.9% Donna CHRISTIAN-CHRISTIANSEN (Democratic Party) 36.1%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Senate
Elections: last held on 4 November 2014
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
Note: the Virgin Islands directly elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term as a delegate to the US House of Representatives; the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote; election of delegate last held on 4 November 2014

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands ; note - court established by US Congress in 2004 and assumed appellate jurisdiction in 2007
Judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Virgin Islands Senate; justices initially serve renewable 10-year terms; chief justice elected to position by peers for a 3-year term
Subordinate courts: Superior Court ; US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (has appellate jurisdiction over the District Court of the Virgin Islands; it is a territorial court and is not associated with a US federal judicial district); District Court of the Virgin Islands

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]
Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]
Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]

International organization participation: AOSIS (observer) Interpol (subbureau) IOC UPU WFTU (NGOs)

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

Flag description

: white field 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 its right talon and three arrows in the left with a superimposed shield of seven red and six white vertical stripes below a blue panel; white is a symbol of purity the letters stand for the Virgin Islands

National symbols

National anthem
Name: 'Virgin Islands March'
Lyrics and music: multiple/Alton Augustus ADAMS Sr.
Note: adopted 1963; serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the United States 'The Star-Spangled Banner' is official

National heritage

U.S. Virgin Islands - Economy 2015

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Economy overview: Tourism trade and other services are the primary economic activities accounting for nearly 60% of the Virgin Island's GDP and about half of total civilian employment. The islands host nearly 3 million tourists per year mostly from visiting cruise ships. The islands are vulnerable to damage from storms. The agriculture sector is small with most food being imported. Industry and government each account for about one-fifth of GDP. Federal programs and grants totaling $241.4 million in 2013 contributed 19.7% of the territory’s total revenues. The manufacturing sector consists of rum distilling electronics pharmaceuticals and watch assembly. A refinery on St. Croix one of the world’s largest processed 350,000 barrels of crude oil a day until it was shut down in February 2012 after operating for 45 years. The economy declined in 2013 due to decreases in exports resulting from the loss of refined oil products. Nevertheless the economy remains relatively diversified. Along with a vibrant tourism industry rum exports trade and services will be major income sources in future years.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:

$3.792 billion (2013 est.)
$4.143 billion (2012)
$4.288 billion (2011)

Rank: 178

Real gdp growth rate:

-5.4% (2013 est.)
-13.8% (2012 est.)
-7.5% (2011 est.)

Rank: 220

Real gdp per capita:

$36,100 (2013 est.)
$39,300 (2012 est.)
$40,500 (2011 est.)

Rank: 47

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by sector of origin