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.

Geographic coordinates: 18 20 N 64 50 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 1,910 km²
Land: 346 km²
Water: 1,564 km²
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 level land

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m

Natural resources: sun sand sea surf

Land use
Arable land: 5.71%
Permanent crops: 2.86%
Other: 91.43% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

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

Population: 108,448 (July 2006 est.)
Growth rate: -0.171% (2006 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

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

Ethnic groups: black 76.2% white 13.1% Asian 1.1% other 6.1% mixed 3.5% (2000 census)

Languages: English 74.7% Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8% French or French Creole 6.6% other 1.9% (2000 census)

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 21.8% (male 11,897/female 11,696)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 34,204/female 37,911)
65 years and over: 11.7% (male 5,642/female 7,098) (2006 est.)

Median age
Total: 37.7 years
Male: 36.7 years
Female: 38.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.171% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 13.68 births/1000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 6.59 deaths/1000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.8 migrant(s)/1000 population (2006 est.)

Environment
Current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.017 male/female
15-64 years: 0.902 male/female
65 years and over: 0.795 male/female
Total population: 0.912 male/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 7.69 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 8.75 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 6.58 deaths/1000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.2 years
Male: 75.4 years
Female: 83.22 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 90-95% est.
Male: NA%
Female: NA% (2005 est.)

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

Government type: NA

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)

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

Independence: none (territory of the US)

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

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

Executive branch
Head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999)
Cabinet: NA
Elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Virgin Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 and 21 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010)
Election results: John DeJONGH elected governor and takes office in January 2006; percent of vote - John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7%

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 8, ICM 4, independent 3
Note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008); results - Donna M. CHRISTENSEN (Democrat) reelected

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

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

International organization participation: IOC UPU

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

Economy overview: Tourism is the primary economic activity accounting for 80% of GDP and 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 small but growing components 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 to support construction projects in the private sector to expand tourist facilities to reduce crime and to protect the environment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $1.577 billion (2004 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 2% (2002 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $14,500 (2004 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1%
Industry: 19%
Services: 80% (2003 est.)

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: 43,980 (2004 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 1%
By occupation industry: 19%
By occupation services: 80% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6.2% (2004)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Budget
Revenues: $N/A
Expenditures: $N/A

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.2% (2003)

Exports: $4.234 billion $N/A
Commodities: refined petroleum products
Partners: US Puerto Rico (2004)

Imports: $4.609 billion $N/A
Commodities: crude oil foodstuffs consumer goods building materials
Partners: US Puerto Rico (2004)

Debt external: $N/A

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Electricity
Production: 1.04 billion kWh (2003)
Consumption: 967.3 million kWh (2003)
Exports: 0 kWh (2003)
Imports: 0 kWh (2003)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2003 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2003 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 70,900 (2004)
Mobile cellular: 64,200 (2004)

Telephone system
General assessment: modern system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
Domestic: full range of services available
International: country code - 1-340; 2 submarine cable connections (Taino Carib, Americas-1); satellite earth stations - NA

Internet
Country code: .vi
Hosts: 3,855 (2006)
Users: 30,000 (2002)

Airports: 2 (2006)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways
Total: 1,257 km (2004)

Ports and terminals: Charlotte Amalie Limetree Bay

Disputes international: none