2005 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.1% (male 12,676/female 12,421) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 34,069/female 37,918) 65 years and over: 10.7% (male 5,125/female 6,499) (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Airports

2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.) Military Virgin Islands

Area

land

349 sq km

total

352 sq km

water

3 sq km

Area - comparative

twice the size of Washington, DC

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. Geography Virgin Islands

Birth rate

14.2 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures

NA (2003)

revenues

$560

Capital

Charlotte Amalie

Climate

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

Coastline

188 km

Constitution

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Country name

conventional long form

United States Virgin Islands

conventional short form

Virgin Islands

former

Danish West Indies

Currency (code)

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Death rate

6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

NA

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)

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Economic aid - recipient

NA

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 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. 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.

Electricity - consumption

962.6 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

1.035 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Crown Mountain 474 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

lack of natural freshwater resources

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Executive branch

cabinet

NA

chief of state

President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001)

election results

Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL reelected governor; percent of vote - Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (Democrat) 50.5%, John de JONGH 24.4%

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 5 November 2002 (next to be held November 2006)

head of government

Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999)

Exports

NA

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum products

Exports - partners

US, Puerto Rico

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September Communications Virgin Islands

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 Virgin Islands

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

1%

industry

19%

services

80% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2% (2002 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$2.5 billion (2002 est.)

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 People Virgin Islands

Government type

NA

Highways

paved

1,192 km

total

1,257 km

unpaved

65 km note: the only US possession where driving on the left side of the road is practiced (2003)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

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

Infant mortality rate

female

6.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

male

9.11 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8.03 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.2% (2003)

International organization participation

Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU

Internet country code

.vi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

50 (2000)

Internet users

30,000 (2002) Transportation Virgin Islands

Irrigated land

NA

Judicial branch

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

Labor force

48,900 (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

11.76%

other

85.3% (2001)

permanent crops

2.94%

Languages

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

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 10, ICM 2, independent 3 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

elections

last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004)

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.96 years (2005 est.)

male

75.08 years

total population

78.91 years

Literacy

definition: NA

female

NA% Government Virgin Islands

male

NA%

total population

NA%

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

Median age

female

37.33 years (2005 est.)

male

35.6 years

total

36.52 years

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US Transnational Issues Virgin Islands

National holiday

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

Nationality

adjective

Virgin Islander

noun

Virgin Islander(s)

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

sun, sand, sea, surf

Net migration rate

-8.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

108,708 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

-0.07% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 17, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios

107,000 (1997)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

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 (2005 est.)

Suffrage

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

Telephone system

domestic

full range of services available

general assessment

modern system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay

international

country code - 1-340; 2 submarine cable connections (Taino Carib, Americas-1); satellite earth stations - NA

Telephones - main lines in use

69,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

41,000 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

16 (2004)

Televisions

68,000 (1997)

Terrain

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Total fertility rate

2.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

9.3% (2003 est.)