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Introduction - Virgin Islands
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
Location:
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east
of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
18 20 N, 64 50 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 1,910 sq km
country comparison to the world: 181
land: 346 sq km
water: 1,564 sq km
Area - comparative:
twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
188 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Current Weather
subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little
seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November
Terrain:
mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m
Natural resources:
sun, sand, sea, surf
Land use:
arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 2.86%
other: 91.43% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods;
occasional earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
lack of natural freshwater resources
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
Population:
109,775 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.9% (male 11,106/female 10,721)
15-64 years: 65.6% (male 33,600/female 38,438)
65 years and over: 14.5% (male 7,198/female 8,712) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.8 years
male: 39.2 years
female: 40.2 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.061% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206
Birth rate:
11.61 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
Death rate:
6.96 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
Net migration rate:
-5.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
Urbanization:
urban population: 95% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 168
male: 8.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.19 years
country comparison to the world: 35
male: 76.14 years
female: 82.41 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.81 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Virgin Islander
Ethnic groups:
black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census)
Religions:
Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%
Languages:
English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%,
other 1.9% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90-95% est.
male: NA
female: NA (2005 est.)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government - Virgin Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands
former: Danish West Indies
abbreviation: USVI
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
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: Charlotte Amalie
geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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
Independence:
none (territory of the US)
National holiday:
Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 31 March (1917)
Constitution:
Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954
Legal system:
based on US laws
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in
US presidential elections
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
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
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
heldon 7 and 21 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2010)
election results: John DeJONGH elected governor; percent of vote - John DeJONGH
57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
two-year terms)
elections: last held on 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 on 2
November 2010)
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)
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
International organization participation:
IOC, UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of the US)
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 the left with a superimposed shield of
seven red and six white vertical stripes below a blue panel
Economy - Virgin Islands
Economy - overview:
Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and
employment. The islands hosted 2.4 million visitors in 2008. 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.577 billion (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
GDP (official exchange rate):
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2002 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$14,500 (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 19%
services: 80% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
49,820 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 19%
services: 80% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
6.2% (2004)
country comparison to the world: 59
Population below poverty line:
28.9% (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $837 million
expenditures: $837 million (FY08/09)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.2% (2003)
country comparison to the world: 78
Agriculture - products:
fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle
Industries:
tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction,
pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
776.4 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
Electricity - consumption:
722 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
16,870 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
Oil - consumption:
88,820 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
Oil - exports:
388,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
Oil - imports:
480,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl
country comparison to the world: 107
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
Exports:
$4.234 billion (2001)
country comparison to the world: 108
Exports - commodities:
refined petroleum products
Imports:
$4.609 billion (2001)
country comparison to the world: 111
Imports - commodities:
crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
Debt - external:
$NA
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Communications - Virgin Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
74,200 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 153
Telephones - mobile cellular:
80,300 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 186
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
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2005)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (2006)
Internet country code:
.vi
Internet hosts:
8,726 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 121
Internet users:
30,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 180
Transportation - Virgin Islands
Airports:
2 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 202
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 1,257 km (2007)
country comparison to the world: 179
Ports and terminals:
Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay
Military - Virgin Islands
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 17,675
females age 16-49: 21,070 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 805
female: 849 (2010 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues - Virgin Islands
Disputes - international:
none
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