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
108,448 (July 2007 est.)
0-14 years: 21.8% (male 11,897/female 11,696) ; 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 34,204/female 37,911) ; 65 years and over: 11.7% (male 5,642/female 7,098) (2007 est.)
total: 37.7 years ; male: 36.7 years ; female: 38.5 years (2007 est.)
-0.171% (2007 est.)
13.68 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
6.59 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
-8.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female ; under 15 years: 1.017 male(s)/female ; 15-64 years: 0.902 male(s)/female ; 65 years and over: 0.795 male(s)/female ; total population: 0.912 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
total: 7.69 deaths/1,000 live births ; male: 8.75 deaths/1,000 live births ; female: 6.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total population: 79.2 years ; male: 75.4 years ; female: 83.22 years (2007 est.)
2.16 children born/woman (2007 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 ; abbreviation: USVI
NA
name: Charlotte Amalie ; geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W ; time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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

none (territory of the US)
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 John DeJONGH (since 1 January 2007) ; cabinet: NA ; elections: under the US Constitution, 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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 and 21 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010) ; election results: John DeJONGH elected governor; percent of vote - John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7%
unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) ; elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008) ; election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 8, ICM 4, independent 3 ; note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)
US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (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
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
none (territory of the US)
none (territory of the US)
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




Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands hosted 2.6 million visitors in 2005. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are small but growing components of the economy. The islands are vulnerable 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.
$1.577 billion (2004 est.)
$NA
2% (2002 est.)
$14,500 (2004 est.)
agriculture: 1% ; industry: 19% ; services: 80% (2003 est.)
43,980 (2004 est.)
agriculture: 1% ; industry: 19% ; services: 80% (2003 est.)
6.2% (2004)
28.9% (2002)
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%
996.1 million kWh (2005)
fossil fuel: 100% ; hydro: 0% ; nuclear: 0% ; other: 0% (2001)
926.4 million kWh (2005)
0 kWh (2005)
0 kWh (2005)
17,620 bbl/day (2005 est.)
98,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
397,400 bbl/day (2004)
493,000 bbl/day (2004)
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
0 cu m (2005 est.)
0 cu m (2005 est.)
0 cu m (2005 est.)
0 cu m (2005)
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

$4.234 billion (2001)
refined petroleum products
US, Puerto Rico (2006)
$4.609 billion (2001)
US, Puerto Rico (2006)


$NA



US dollar (USD)
USD
the US dollar is used
1 October - 30 September
$NA
71,700 (2005)
80,300 (2005)
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 (2005)
107,000 (1997)
5 (2006)
68,000 (1997)
.vi
4,116 (2007)
50 (2000)
30,000 (2005)

2 (2007)
total: 2 ; over 3,047 m: 1 ; 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)




total: 1,257 km (2004)


Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay







defense is the responsibility of the US
none



