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.

Area
Total: 352 km²
Land: 349 km²
Comparative: 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

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

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

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 15%
Permanent crops: 6%
Permanent pastures: 26%
Forests and woodland: 6%
Other: 47%

Irrigated land: NA

Population:
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%
Growth rate:

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

Ethnic groups:

Languages: English (official), Spanish, Creole

Religions:

Age structure
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate: -12.94 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
16.17 migrants/1000 population 1995 est. Infant Mortality Rate:

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

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.29 years
Male: 73.6 years
Female: 77.2 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Literacy: definition:NA

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

Government 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

International organization participation: ECLAC (associate), IOC

Flag description: 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.

Real gdp growth rate: NA

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity_ $12,500 (1987 est.)

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

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 12% (year NA; accounts for NA of GDP

Labor force: 47,443 (1990 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 1%
By occupation industry: 20%
By occupation services: 62%
By occupation other: 17% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 3.7% (1992)

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

Fiscal year: 1 October_30 September

Exports: total value. $2.8 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
Commodities: Refined petroleum products
Partners:

Imports: total value:$3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1990)
Commodities:
Partners:

Debt external: NA

Exchange rates: U.S. currency is used

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

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

Airports: 2
15-24 to 2437 m: 2
Note: International airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix

Merchant marine: None