US VIRGIN ISLANDS

OFFICIAL NAME 

U.S. Virgin Islands
Including the Islands of: St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas

CAPITAL CITY Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, population 60,000

Geography
Maps
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 references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total area: 352 sq km
land area: 349 sq km
comparative area: twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 188 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, 

little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November
Terrain: mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m
Natural resources: sun, sand, sea, surf
Land use:
arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 6%
meadows and pastures: 26%
forest and woodland: 6%
other: 47%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources
natural hazards: rarely affected by hurricanes; frequent and severe droughts, floods, and earthquakes
international agreements: NA
Geographic 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

 



PEOPLE

Population: 97,120 (July 1996 est.)
note: West Indian (45% born in the Virgin Islands and 29% born elsewhere in the West Indies) 74%, 

US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 5%, other 8%
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: -0.06% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 17.57 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -12.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: NA male(s)/female
under 15 years: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over: NA male(s)/female
all ages: NA male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate: 12.54 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:75.29 years
male: 73.6 years
female: 77.2 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.29 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: Virgin Islander
Ethnic divisions: black 80%, white 15%, other 5%
Religions: Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%
Languages: English (official), Spanish, Creole
Literacy: NA

 

GOVERNMENT

Name of country:
conventional long form: Virgin Islands of the United States
conventional short form: Virgin Islands
former: Danish West Indies
Data code: VQ
Type of government: organized, unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Office 

of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Capital: Charlotte Amalie
Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)
National holiday: Transfer Day, 31 March (1917) (from Denmark to US)
Constitution: Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954
Legal system: based on US laws
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote 

in US presidential elections


Executive branch:
chief of state: President (of the United States) 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
US House of Representatives: elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held 5 November 1996); 

results - Victor O. FRAZER (ICM) 54.5%, Eileen R. PETERSON (Democrat) 45.5%; seats - (1 total) ICM 1; 

note - the Virgin Islands elects one representative to the US House of Representatives.


Judicial branch: US District Court, handles civil matters over $50,000, felonies (persons 15 years 

of age and over), and federal cases, judges are appointed by the president; 

Territorial Court, handles civil matters up to $50,000, small claims, juvenile, domestic, misdemeanors, 

and traffic cases, judges appointed by the governor.


Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party, Marilyn STAPLETON; Independent Citizens' Movement 

(ICM), Virdin C. BROWN; Republican Party, Charlotte-Poole DAVIS.


International organization participation: ECLAC (associate), IOC.


Diplomatic representation in US: none (territory of the US).


US diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US).


Flag: 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

Economic 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 beingimported. 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.                                                                                                                 
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1987 est.)
GDP real growth rate: NA%                                                                    
GDP per capita: $12,500 (1987 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: 47,443 (1990 est.)
by occupation: agriculture, industry, services, other (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate: 3.7% (1992)
Budget:
revenues: $364.4 million
expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
Industries: tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction,                                                                         pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics
Industrial production growth rate: 12% (year NA)
Electricity:
capacity: 320,000 kW
production: 970 million kWh
consumption per capita: 9,172 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: truck garden products, fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle
Exports: $2.8 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities: refined petroleum products
partners: US, Puerto Rico
Imports: $3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1990)
commodities: crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
partners: US, Puerto Rico
External debt: $NA
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

 

TRANSPORTATION

Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 856 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Ports: Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix
Merchant marine: none
Airports:
total: 2
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2
note: international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix (1995 est.)

 

COMMUNICATIONS

Communications

Telephones: 60,000 (1990 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 8, shortwave 0 (1988)
Radios: 105,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1988 est.)
Televisions: 65,000 (1992 est.)

DEFENSE FORCES

Defense note: defense is the responsibility of the US

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