VIRGIN ISLANDS
Geography People Government Economy Transportation Communications Defense Forces
VIRGIN ISLANDS
(territory of the US)
@Virgin Islands:Geography
Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
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VIRGIN ISLANDS UK - MAJOR CITIES
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Latitude, Internat'l Time
Population Longitude Phone Code Zone
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ROAD TOWN 4,000 18.27N, 64.37W 809- GMT-4
Spanish Town 1,000 18.28N, 64.27W 809- GMT-4
The Settlement N/A 18.44N, 64.19W 809- GMT-4
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Area:
total area: 352 sq km
land area: 349 sq km
comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 188 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: subtropical, tempered by easterly tradewinds, relatively low
humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to
November
Terrain: mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land
Natural resources: sun, sand, sea, surf
Land use:
arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 6%
meadows and pastures: 26%
forest and woodland: 6%
other: 47%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources
natural hazards: rarely affected by hurricanes; frequent and severe
droughts, floods, and earthquakes
international agreements: NA
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
@Virgin Islands:People
Population: 97,229 (July 1995 est.)
note: West Indian (45% born in the Virgin Islands and 29% born
elsewhere in the West Indies) 74%, US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 5%,
other 8%
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: -0.29% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 18.49 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -16.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 12.54 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.29 years
male: 73.6 years
female: 77.2 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.41 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: Virgin Islander
Ethnic divisions: black 80%, white 15%, other 5%
Religions: Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%
Languages: English (official), Spanish, Creole
Literacy: NA%
Labor force: 45,500 (1988)
by occupation: tourism 70%
@Virgin Islands:Government
Names:
conventional long form: Virgin Islands of the United States
conventional short form: Virgin Islands
Digraph: VQ
Type: organized, unincorporated territory of the US administered by
the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of
the Interior
Capital: Charlotte Amalie
Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)
National holiday: Transfer Day, 31 March (1917) (from Denmark to US)
Constitution: Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954
Legal system: based on US
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants
are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch:
chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January
1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
head of government: Governor Dr. Roy L. SCHNEIDER (since 5 January
1995); Lieutenant Governor Kenneth E. MAPP (since 5 January 1995);
election last held 22 November 1994 (next to be held NA November
1998); results - Dr. Roy L. SCHNEIDER (Independent) 54.7%, former
Lieutenant Governor Derek HODGE 42.6%
Legislative branch: unicameral
Senate: elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held 5
November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (15
total) Democrats 7, Independents 7, Republican 1
US House of Representatives: elections last held 8 November 1994 (next
to be held 5 November 1996); results - Victor O. FRAZER (Independent)
54.5%, Eileen R. PETERSON (Democrat) 45.5%; seats - (1 total)
Independent 1; note - the Virgin Islands elects one representative to
the US House of Representatives
Judicial branch:
US District Court: handles civil matters over $50,000, felonies
(persons 15 years of age and over), and federal cases
Territorial Court: handles civil matters up to $50,000, small claims,
juvenile, domestic, misdemeanors, and traffic cases
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party, Marilyn STAPLETON;
Independent Citizens' Movement (ICM), Virdin C. BROWN; Republican
Party, Charlotte-Poole DAVIS
Member of: ECLAC (associate), IOC
Diplomatic representation in US: none (territory of the US)
US diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US)
Flag: white with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the
large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows an 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
Overview: Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for
more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The manufacturing sector
consists of textile, electronics, pharmaceutical, and watch assembly
plants. The agricultural sector is small, 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.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1987
est.)
National product real growth rate: NA%
National product per capita: $11,000 (1987)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: 3.7% (1992)
Budget:
revenues: $364.4 million
expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1990 est.)
Exports: $2.8 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities: refined petroleum products
partners: US, Puerto Rico
Imports: $3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1990)
commodities: crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
partners: US, Puerto Rico
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate 12% (year NA); accounts for NA% of
GDP
Electricity:
capacity: 320,000 kW
production: 970 million kWh
consumption per capita: 9,172 kWh (1993)
Industries: tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum
distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics
Agriculture: truck gardens, food crops (small scale), fruit, sorghum,
Senepol cattle
Economic aid:
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral
commitments (1970-89), $42 million
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
@Virgin Islands:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways:
total: 856 km
paved: NA
unpaved: NA
Ports: Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix
Merchant marine: none
Airports:
total: 2
with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
note: international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix
@Virgin Islands:Communications
Telephone system: 58,931 telephones; modern telephone system using
fiber-optic cable, submarine cable, microwave radio, and satellite
facilities
local: NA
intercity: NA
international: NA
Radio:
broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 8, shortwave 0 (1988)
radios: 98,000
Television:
broadcast stations: 4 (1988)
televisions: 63,000
@Virgin Islands:Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
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