Statistical information U.S. Virgin Islands 2020

U.S. Virgin Islands in the World

U.S. Virgin Islands - Introduction 2020

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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. On 6 September 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the northern Virgin Islands of Saint Thomas and Saint John and inflicted severe damage to structures, roads, the airport on Saint Thomas, communications, and electricity. Less than two weeks later, Hurricane Maria passed over the island of Saint Croix in the southern Virgin Islands, inflicting considerable damage with heavy winds and flooding rains.

U.S. Virgin Islands - Geography 2020

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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: 181
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
Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

Natural resources: pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism

Land use

Land use
Agricultural land: 11.5% (2011 est.)

arable land: 2.9% (2011 est.)
permanent crops: 2.9% (2011 est.)
permanent pasture: 5.7% (2011 est.)

Forest: 57.4% (2011 est.)
Other: 31.1% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 1 km² (2012)

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 2020

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Population
Distribution: while overall population density throughout the islands is relatively low, concentrations appear around Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas and Christiansted on St. Croix: 106,235 (July 2020 est.)
Rank: 191
Growth rate: -0.37% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 222
Below poverty line: 28.9% (2002 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)
Adjective: Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups: Black 76%, White 15.6%, Asian 1.4%, other 4.9%, mixed 2.1% (2010 est.)
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: 19.9% (male 10,820/female 10,322)
15-24 years: 10.32% (male 5,329/female 5,632)
25-54 years: 36.43% (male 18,127/female 20,576)
55-64 years: 14.16% (male 7,177/female 7,864)
65 years and over: 19.19% (male 9,153/female 11,235) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 66
Youth dependency ratio: 32
Elderly dependency ratio: 34
Potential support ratio: 2.9 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 41.8 years
Male: 40.6 years
Female: 42.8 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 42

Population growth rate: -0.37% (2020 est.)
Rank: 222

Birth rate: 12.1 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 161

Death rate: 8.5 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 74

Net migration rate: -7.5 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 210

Population distribution: while overall population density throughout the islands is relatively low, concentrations appear around Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas and Christiansted on St. Croix

Urbanization
Urban population: 95.9% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 52,000 CHARLOTTE AMALIE (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources; protection of coral reefs; solid waste management; coastal development; increased boating and overfishing

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.88 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 7.4 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 8.4 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 6.3 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 158

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.8 years
Male: 76.6 years
Female: 83.2 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 51

Total fertility rate: 2.03 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 108

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source
Total:

98.7% of population
1.3% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Total:

100% of population
100% of population (2017 est.)

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

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures
Note: NA

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment

U.S. Virgin Islands - Government 2020

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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Virgin Islands
Former: Danish West Indies
Abbreviation: VI
Etymology: the myriad islets, cays, and rocks surrounding the major islands reminded Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers (Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes), which over time shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes)

Government type: republican form of government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches; unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government

Capital
Name: Charlotte Amalie
Geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time): etymology: originally called Taphus in Danish - meaning 'tap house' or 'beer house' because of its many beer halls - the town received a more dignified name in 1691 when it was named Charlotte Amalie in honor of Danish King Christian V’s wife, Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (1650-1714)

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
History: 22 July 1954 - the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands functions as a constitution for this US territory
Amendments: revised 1962, 2000

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 Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2017); Vice President Michael R. PENCE (since 20 January 2017)
Head of government: Governor Albert BRYAN, Jr. (since 7 January 2019), Lieutenant Governor Tregenza ROACH (since 7 January 2019)
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 (eligible for a second 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 6 November 2018 with a runoff on 20 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2022)
Election results:

Albert BRYAN, Jr. elected governor in the second round; percent of vote in first round - Albert BRYAN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 38.1%, Kenneth MAPP (independent) 33.5%, Adlah Foncie DONASTORG, Jr. (independent) 16.5%, other 11.9%; percent of vote in second round- Albert BRYAN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 54.5%, Kenneth MAPP (independent) 45.2%, other .3%

Legislative branch
Description:

unicameral Legislature of the Virgin Islands (15 seats; senators directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve 2-year terms)

the Virgin Islands directly elects 1 delegate to the US House of Representatives by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term

Elections:

Legislature of the Virgin Islands last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)
US House of Representatives last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)

Election results:

Legislature of the Virgin Islands - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 13, independents 2; composition - men 11, women 4, percent of women 26.7%

delegate to US House of Representatives - seat by party - Democratic Party 1; composition - 1 woman

Note: the Virgin Islands to the US House of Representatives 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

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands (consists of the chief justice and 2 associate justices); note - court established by the 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 serve initial 10-year terms and upon reconfirmation, during the extent of good behavior; chief justice elected to position by peers for a 3-year term
Subordinate courts: Superior Court (Territorial Court renamed in 2004); 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 [Stacey PLASKELL]Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Dale BLYDEN]Republican Party [John CANEGATA]

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
Lyricsmusic: multiple/Alton Augustus ADAMS, Sr.
Note: adopted 1963; serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the US, 'The Star-Spangled Banner' is official (see United States)

National heritage

U.S. Virgin Islands - Economy 2020

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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real:

$3.872 billion (2016 est.)
$3.759 billion (2015 est.)
$3.622 billion (2014 est.)

Real note: data are in 2013 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:

0.9% (2016 est.)
0.3% (2015 est.)
-1% (2014 est.)

Rank: 175

Real gdp per capita:

$37,000 (2016 est.)
$35,800 (2015 est.)
$34,500 (2014 est.)

Rank: 47

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by sector of origin