Virgin Islands

Agriculture-products

truck garden products, fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Budget

revenues: $364.4 million expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Debt-external

$NA

Economic aid

$NA

Economy-overview

Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year. The number of US tourists in the first five months of 1996 was down by 55% from the same period in 1995, the lingering result of the fierce hurricanes of 1995. Unemployment rose sharply in 1996. 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. A major economic problem at the beginning of 1997 was the more than $1 billion in governmental arrears, in income tax refunds, payments to vendors, and overdue wages.

Electricity-capacity

316 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

10,285 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

1 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

total value: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: refined petroleum products partners: US, Puerto Rico

Fiscal year

1 October-30 September Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$1.2 billion (1987 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$12,500 (1987 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

NA%

Imports

total value: $2.2 billion (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials partners: US, Puerto Rico

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics

Inflation rate-consumer price index

NA%

Labor force

total: 47,443 (1990 est.) by occupation: agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 62%, other 17% (1990)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4, FM 8, shortwave 0 (1988)

Radios

105,000 (1994 est.)

Telephone system

domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA

Telephones

60,000 (1990 est.)

Television broadcast stations

4 (1988 est.)

Televisions

66,000 (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

6.2% (March 1994)

Area

total: 352 sq km land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km

Area-comparative

twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

188 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

Environment-current issues

lack of natural freshwater resources

Environment-international agreements

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

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

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 15% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 26% forests and woodland: 6% other: 47% (1993 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, floods, and earthquakes

Natural resources

sun, sand, sea, surf

Terrain

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Administrative divisions

none (territory of the US)

Constitution

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Country name

conventional long form: Virgin Islands of the United States conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies

Data code

VQ

Dependency status

organized, unincorporated territory of the US; administered by 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

chief of state: President of the US 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) and Lieutenant Governor Kenneth E. MAPP (since 5 January 1995) cabinet: NA elections: governor and lieutenant governor of the Virgin Islands elected by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 22 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998) election results: Dr. Roy L. SCHNEIDER elected governor of the Virgin Islands; percent of vote-Roy L. SCHNEIDER (ICM) 54.7%, former Lieutenant Governor Derek HODGE 42.6%

Flag description

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

Government type

NA

International organization participation

ECLAC (associate), IOC

Judicial branch

US District Court, handles civil matters over $200,000, felonies (persons 15 years of age and over), and federal cases; judges are appointed by the president; Territorial Court, handles civil matters of unlimited cash amount; felonies, small claims, juvenile, domestic, misdemeanors, and traffic cases; judges appointed by the governor

Legal system

based on US laws

Legislative branch

unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 2 November 1998) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-independents 6, Democrats 5, Republicans 2, Independent Citizens Movement 2 note: the Virgin Islands elects one representative to the US House of Representatives; elections last held 19 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 1998); results - Dr. Donna GREEN (ICM) 51.5%, Victor O. FRAZER (independent) 48.5%

National capital

Charlotte Amalie

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party, Marilyn STAPLETON; Independent Citizens' Movement (ICM), Virdin C. BROWN; Republican Party, Charlotte-Poole DAVIS

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; note-indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Military-note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Age structure

0-14 years: 29% (male 17,310; female 16,502) 15-64 years: 64% (male 34,434; female 40,645) 65 years and over: 7% (male 4,065; female 5,255) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

16.45 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

5.01 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

black 80%, white 15%, other 5%

Infant mortality rate

9.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

English (official), Spanish, Creole

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.3 years male: 74.68 years female: 82.15 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

NA

Nationality

noun: Virgin Islander(s) adjective: Virgin Islander

Net migration rate

0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

118,211 (July 1998 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%

Population growth rate

1.16% (1998 est.)

Religions

Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.32 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

none WAKE ISLAND (territory of the US)

Airports

2 note: international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix; there is an airfield on St. John (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways

total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 856 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix

Railways

0 km