2020 Edition

Background

The Danes secured control over the southern Virgin Islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix during the 17th and early 18th centuries. Sugarcane, produced by African slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish holdings, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848. In 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the northern Virgin Islands of Saint Thomas and Saint John and inflicted severe damage to structures, roads, the airport on Saint Thomas, communications, and electricity. Less than two weeks later, Hurricane Maria passed over the island of Saint Croix in the southern Virgin Islands, inflicting considerable damage with heavy winds and flooding rains.

Area

land

346 sq km

total

1,910 sq km

water

1,564 sq km

Area - comparative

twice the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

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

Coastline

188 km

Elevation

highest point

Crown Mountain 474 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

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

1 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

9.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 6.3% (2023 est.)

forest

58.2% (2023 est.)

other

32.4% (2023 est.)

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

pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism

Population distribution

overall population density throughout the islands is relatively low, but concentrations appear around Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas and Christiansted on St. Croix

Terrain

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little flat land

Age structure

0-14 years

18.7% (male 9,983/female 9,547)

15-64 years

59.8% (male 29,519/female 32,899)

65 years and over

21.5% (2024 est.) (male 10,018/female 12,411)

Birth rate

10.88 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

9.43 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

37.1 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

2.7 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

68 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

30.9 (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

African-American or African descent 71.4%, White 13.3%, Indigenous 0.4%, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 0.1%, other 6.3%, mixed 7.5% (2020 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.95 (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

6.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

8.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

English 71.6%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 17.2%, French or French Creole 8.6%, other 2.5% (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

84.1 years

male

77.6 years

total population

80.7 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

52,000 CHARLOTTE AMALIE (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

43.9 years

male

42.1 years

total

43.4 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Virgin Islander

noun

Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)

Net migration rate

-7.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population

female

54,597

male

49,195

total

103,792 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.58% (2025 est.)

Religions

Protestant 65.5%, Roman Catholic 27.1%, other Christians 2.2%, other 1.5%, none 3.7% (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: total

total: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.9 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.81 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.95 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

-0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

96.2% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 3 islands are considered second-order: Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas

Capital

etymology

named in honor of Danish King CHRISTIAN V’s wife, Charlotte AMALIE of Hesse-Kassel, after the colony was established in 1672

geographic coordinates

18 21 N, 64 56 W

name

Charlotte Amalie

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see United States

Constitution

history

22 July 1954 - the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands functions as a constitution for this US territory

Country name

abbreviation

VI

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Virgin Islands

etymology

in 1493, the islets, cays, and rocks around the major islands in the chain reminded explorer Christopher COLUMBUS of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers (Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes), which over time was shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes)

former

Danish West Indies

Dependency status

unincorporated, organized territory of the US, with policy relations with the US federal government 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

Territorial Cabinet appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate

chief of state

President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025)

election results

2022: Albert BRYAN, Jr. reelected governor; percent of vote - Albert BRYAN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 56%, Kurt VIALET (independent) 38% 2018: Albert BRYAN, Jr. elected governor in the second round; percent of vote in first round - Albert BRYAN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 38.1%, Kenneth MAPP (independent) 33.5%, Adlah "Foncie" DONASTORG, Jr. (independent) 16.5%, other 11.9%; percent of vote in second round- Albert BRYAN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 54.5%, Kenneth MAPP (independent) 45.2%, other 0.3%

election/appointment process

president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of electors chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of the Virgin Islands do not vote in elections for US president and vice president, but they can vote in the Democratic and Republican party presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term)

expected date of next election

November 2026

head of government

Governor Albert BRYAN, Jr. (since 7 January 2019)

most recent election date

8 November 2022

Flag

description: white field 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 its right talon and three arrows in its left, with a shield of seven red and six white vertical stripes below a blue panel meaning: white is a symbol of purity, and the letters stand for the Virgin Islands

Government type

unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches

Independence

none (territory of the US)

International organization participation

AOSIS (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs)

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands (consists of the chief justice and 2 associate justices)

judge selection and term of office

justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Virgin Islands Senate; justices serve initial 10-year terms and upon reconfirmation, during the extent of good behavior; chief justice elected to position by peers for a 3-year term

subordinate courts

Superior Court (Territorial Court renamed in 2004); US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (has appellate jurisdiction over the District Court of the Virgin Islands; it is a territorial court and is not associated with a US federal judicial district); District Court of the Virgin Islands

Legal system

US common law

National anthem(s)

history

official anthem, as a US territory

lyrics/music

Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH

title

"The Star-Spangled Banner"

National holiday

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

Political parties

Democratic Party Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM Republican Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Budget

expenditures

$1.518 billion (2016 est.)

revenues

$1.496 billion (2016 est.)

Economic overview

high-income, tourism-based American territorial economy; severe COVID-19 economic disruptions; major rum distillery; high public debt; sluggish reopening of large oil refinery; environmentally susceptible to hurricanes; many informal industries

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

Exports 2020

$1.62 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$4.069 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$4.549 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, jewelry, recreational boats, watches, rum (2019)

Exports - partners

Haiti 14%, Guadeloupe 7%, Malaysia 7%, Martinique 7%, Barbados 7%, British Virgin Islands 5% (2019)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

97.4% (2022 est.)

government consumption

34.4% (2022 est.)

household consumption

68.9% (2022 est.)

imports of goods and services

-108.3% (2022 est.)

investment in fixed capital

7.5% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories

15% (2016 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.672 billion (2022 est.)

Imports

Imports 2020

$3.184 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$4.057 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$5.058 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, crude petroleum, rubber piping, jewelry, beer (2019)

Imports - partners

India 18%, Algeria 14%, South Korea 9%, Argentina 9%, Sweden 7%, Brazil 5% (2019)

Industries

tourism, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, electronics

Labor force

47,200 (2024 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2014

45.9% of GDP (2014 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$4.789 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$4.965 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$4.9 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-1.6% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

3.7% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

-1.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2020

$45,100 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$46,900 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$46,500 (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

13.1% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

12.4% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

12.1% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

28.9% (2024 est.)

male

22% (2024 est.)

total

25.3% (2024 est.)

Coal

exports

4 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

618.819 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

326,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

50.181 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

97.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

2.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

16,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

10 (2022 est.)

total

9,000 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

about a dozen TV stations, including 1 public TV station; multi-channel cable and satellite TV available; 24 radio stations

Internet country code

.vi

Internet users

percent of population

64% (2017 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

88 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

76,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

92 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

79,100 (2022 est.)

Airports

2 (2025)

Heliports

4 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 1, other 1

total

2 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Frederiksted, Limetree Bay, Port Alucroix

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

3

small

3

total ports

6 (2024)

very small

3

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Military and security forces

US Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD); US Virgin Islands National Guard (VING)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

2.378 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

2.378 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

lack of natural freshwater resources; protection of coral reefs; solid waste management; coastal development; increased boating and overfishing

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

146,500 tons (2024 est.)