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Motto:
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United in Pride and Hope |
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Background:
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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 |
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Geography
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Location:
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Caribbean, islands between the
Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
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Geographic coordinates:
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18 20 N, 64 50 W
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Map references:
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Central
America and the Caribbean
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Area:
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total: 1,910 sq km
land: 346 sq km
water: 1,564 sq km
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Land Boundaries: |
0 km |
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Coastline:
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188 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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Climate:
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Subtropical, tempered by easterly
trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal
temperature variation; rainy season September to November
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Terrain:
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mostly hilly to rugged and
mountainous with little level land |
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Elevation
Extremes
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lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m |
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Natural
Resources:
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sun, sand, sea, surf |
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Land use:
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arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 2.86%
other: 91.43% (2005)
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Natural hazards:
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several hurricanes
in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods;
occasional earthquakes
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Environment - current issues:
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lack
of natural freshwater resources
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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
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People
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Population:
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109,825 (July 2009 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 20.4% (male
11,394/female 11,048)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 33,843/female 38,574)
65 years and over: 13.6% (male 6,747/female 8,219) (2009 est.)
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Population growth rate: |
-0.029% (2009 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
11.95 births/1,000 population
(2009 est.) |
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Death rate: |
6.75 deaths/1,000 population
(July 2009 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
-5.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2009 est.) |
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Urbanization: |
urban population: 95% of total
population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2009 est.) |
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Nationality: |
Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Virgin Islander |
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Ethnic groups: |
black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian
1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census) |
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Religions: |
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Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%,
Episcopalian 17%, other 7% |
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Languages: |
English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish
Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000
census) |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can
read and write
total population: 90-95% est.
male: NA
female: NA (2005 est.) |
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Government |
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Country name: |
conventional long form: United
States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands
former: Danish West Indies
abbreviation: USVI |
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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 |
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Capital: |
name: Charlotte Amalie
geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W |
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National holiday: |
Transfer Day (from Denmark to the
US), 31 March (1917) |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Constitution: |
Revised Organic Act of 22 July
1954 |
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Legal system: |
Based on
US Laws |
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Suffrage: |
18 Years of
age; universal. Island residents are US citizens but do not
vote in US presidential elections |
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Executive branch: |
chief of state: President Barack
H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN
(since 20 January 2009)
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; however,
they may vote in the Democratic and Republican presidential
primary elections; 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% |
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Legislative branch: |
unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in
November 2010)
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 4 November 2008 (next to be held in
November 2010)
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Judicial branch: |
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) |
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Political parties and leaders: |
Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens'
Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] |
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International organization participation: |
IOC, UPU, WFTU |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
none (territory of the US)
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
None (territory of the US) |
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Flag description: |
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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 one talon and three arrows in the other
with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white
stripes below a blue panel |
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Economy |
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Overview: |
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, rum distilling, 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. |
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GDP (Purchasing
power parity PPP): |
$1.577 billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 19%
services: 80% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate: |
2% (2002) |
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GDP per capita (PPP) |
$14,500 (2004 est) |
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Labor force: |
49,820 (2007 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation: |
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agriculture: 1%
industry: 19%
services: 80% (2003 est.) |
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Unemployment rate: |
6.2% (2002) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $837 million
expenditures: $837 million (FY08/09) |
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Industries: |
tourism, petroleum refining,
watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals,
textiles, electronics |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
NA% |
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Agriculture - products: |
fruit, vegetables, sorghum;
Senepol cattle |
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Exports: |
$4.234 billion (2001) |
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Exports - commodities: |
refined petroleum products
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Imports: |
$4.609 billion (2001) |
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Imports - commodities: |
crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer
goods, building materials
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Debt - external: |
$NA |
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Exchange rates: |
the US dollar is used
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Business Hours: |
Business: 8:00am-5:00pm Monday to
Friday |
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Communications |
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
74,200 (2008) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
80,300 (2005) |
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Telephone system: |
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; submarine cable connections
to US, the Caribbean, Central and South America; satellite earth
stations - NA |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2005) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
Television 5 (2006)
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Internet country code: |
.vi |
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Internet hosts: |
8,726 (2009) |
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Internet users: |
30,000 (2008) |
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Transportation |
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Airports: |
2 (2009) |
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Highways: |
Total:
1,257 km
(2007) |
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Ports and harbors: |
Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay |
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Military |
defense is the responsibility of
the US |
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Main Source of above Information: the Central Intelligence Agency
World Factbook |
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Items of Interest |
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National Anthem |
Virgin Islands March
All hail our Virgin Islands.
Em'ralds of the sea,
Where beaches bright with coral sand
And trade winds bless our native land.
All hail our Virgin Islands,
Bathed in waters blue,
We give our loyalty,
Full to thee,
And pledge allegiance forever true.
To thee our Virgin Islands,
Loving voices raise
A song in praise of brotherhood,
Where right makes might to fight for good.
To thee our Virgin Islands,
Haven of the free,
We sing our love to thee,
Joyously,
Our own fair islands of liberty.
March on oh Virgin Islands,
In the joyful throng,
Uphold the right and right the wrong
Where only peace and love belong.
March on oh Virgin Islands,
Democratic land.
Together hand in hand,
Take your stand,
Forever soldiers in freedom's band.
God bless our Virgin Islands,
Humbly now we pray,
Where all mankind can join today
In friendly warmth of work and play.
God bless our Virgin Islands,
Beautiful and tall.
Beneath a sunny sky,
Hilltops high
Hold out a welcome for one and all.
Words by: Public contribution
Music by: Alton Augustus Adams, Sr. |
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Favourite
local Cuisine: |
Fish and Fungi (a smooth cornmeal
mush to which okra is sometimes added) |
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