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.

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

18 20 N, 64 50 W

Central America and the Caribbean

total: 1,910 sq km
land: 346 sq km
water: 1,564 sq km

twice the size of Washington, DC

0 km

188 km

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

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

sun, sand, sea, surf

arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 2.86%
other: 91.43% (2005)

NA

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

lack of natural freshwater resources

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

108,605 (July 2006 est.)

0-14 years: 22.4% (male 12,261/female 12,056)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 34,174/female 37,949)
65 years and over: 11.2% (male 5,385/female 6,780) (2006 est.)

total: 37.1 years
male: 36.2 years
female: 38 years (2006 est.)

-0.12% (2006 est.)

13.96 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

-8.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

total: 7.86 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.93 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

total population: 79.05 years
male: 75.24 years
female: 83.09 years (2006 est.)

2.17 children born/woman (2006 est.)

NA

NA

NA

noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Virgin Islander

black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census)

Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%

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

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90-95% est.
male: NA%
female: NA% (2005 est.)

conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands
former: Danish West Indies

organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

NA

Charlotte Amalie

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

Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

based on US laws

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

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)
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; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held November 2006)
election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL reelected governor; percent of vote - Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (Democrat) 50.5%, John de JONGH 24.4%

unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held 7 November 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 10, ICM 4, independent 1
note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results - Donna M. CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected

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

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

NA

IOC, UPU

none (territory of the US)

none (territory of the US)

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

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.

$2.5 billion (2002 est.)

NA

2% (2002 est.)

$17,200 (2002 est.)

agriculture: 1%
industry: 19%
services: 80% (2003 est.)

48,900 (2003 est.)

agriculture: 1%
industry: 19%
services: 80% (2003 est.)

9.3% (2003 est.)

NA%

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

2.2% (2003)

revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA

fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics

NA%

1.04 billion kWh (2003)

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

967.3 million kWh (2003)

0 kWh (2003)

0 kWh (2003)

14,650 bbl/day (2003 est.)

105,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

NA bbl/day

NA bbl/day

0 cu m (2003 est.)

0 cu m (2003 est.)

$NA

refined petroleum products

US, Puerto Rico (2004)

$NA

crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials

US, Puerto Rico (2004)

$NA

$NA

US dollar (USD)

USD

the US dollar is used

1 October - 30 September

70,900 (2004)

41,000 (2002)

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

AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2006)

107,000 (1997)

5 (2006)

68,000 (1997)

.vi

3,818 (2005)

50 (2000)

30,000 (2002)

2 (2005)

total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2005)

total: 1,257 km (2004)

Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay

defense is the responsibility of the US

none