2000 Edition

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

land

349 sq km

total

352 sq km

water

3 sq km

Area - comparative

twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

188 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Crown Mountain 474 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

lack of natural freshwater resources

Geographic coordinates

18 20 N, 64 50 W

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

15%

forests and woodland

6%

other

47% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

6%

permanent pastures

26%

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

sun, sand, sea, surf

Terrain

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.8% (male 17,258; female 16,359) 15-64 years: 63.72% (male 35,026; female 42,021) 65 years and over: 8.48% (male 4,435; female 5,818) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

15.96 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

black 80%, white 15%, other 5%

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%

Infant mortality rate

9.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

English (official), Spanish, Creole

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.25 years (2000 est.)

male

74.2 years

total population

78.11 years

Literacy

definition

NA

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

NA%

Nationality

adjective

Virgin Islander

noun

Virgin Islander(s)

Net migration rate

0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

120,917 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

1.07% (2000 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.83 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population

0.88 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.27 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

Capital

Charlotte Amalie

Constitution

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Country name

conventional long form

Virgin Islands of the United States

conventional short form

Virgin Islands

former

Danish West Indies

Data code

VQ

Dependency status

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch

cabinet

NA

chief of state

President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)

election results

Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL elected governor; percent of vote - Dr. Charles W. TURNBULL (Democrat) 58.9%, former Governor Roy L. SCHNEIDER (ICM) 41.1%

elections

US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2002)

head of government

Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999) and Lieutenant Governor Gererd LUZ James II (since 5 January 1999)

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

Government type

NA

International organization participation

ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC

Judicial branch

US District Court, judges are appointed by the president; Territorial Court, judges appointed by the governor

Legal system

based on US laws

Legislative branch

unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 6, Republican Party 2, ICM 2, independents 5

elections

last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000)

note

the Virgin Islands elect one representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000); results - Dr. Donna GREEN (Democrat) 80%, Victor O. FRAZER (ICM) 20%

National holiday

Transfer Day, 31 March (1917) (from Denmark to US)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party ; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM ; Republican Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Agriculture - products

fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Budget

expenditures

$364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)

revenues

$364.4 million

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

Economy - overview

Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textile, electronics, pharmaceutical, and watch assembly plants. The agricultural sector is small, with 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. The islands are subject to substantial damage from storms.

Electricity - consumption

948 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

1.019 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

$NA

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum products

Exports - partners

US, Puerto Rico

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.8 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $15,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$NA

Imports - commodities

crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials

Imports - partners

US, Puerto Rico

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

47,443 (1990 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

4.9% (March 1999)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

107,000 (1997)

Telephone system

domestic

modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay

international

submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA

Telephones - main lines in use

58,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2,000 (1992)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1997)

Televisions

68,000 (1997)

Airports

2

note

international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

NA km

total

856 km

unpaved

NA km

Merchant marine

none (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix

Railways

0 km

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Disputes - international

none

WAKE ISLAND