Virgin Islands

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

2 (1997)

Televisions

66,000 (1994 est.)

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--recipient

$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, with 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, income tax refunds, payments to vendors, and overdue wages.

Electricity--consumption

1.02 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--production

1.02 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

$1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1992)

Exports--commodities

refined petroleum products

Exports--partners

US, Puerto Rico

Fiscal year

1 October--30 September

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%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$2.2 billion (c.i.f., 1992)

Imports--commodities

crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials

Imports--partners

US, Puerto Rico

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

47,443 (1990 est.)

Labor force--by occupation

agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 62%, other 17% (1990)

Population below poverty line

NA%

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 and floods; occasional 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); 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

Capital

Charlotte Amalie

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 William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999) and Lieutenant Governor Gerald LUZ James II (since 5 January 1999) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2002) election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL elected governor; percent of vote--Dr. Charles W. TURNBULL (Democrat) 58.9%, former Governor Roy L. SCHNEIDER (ICM) 41.1%

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), Interpol (subbureau), IOC

Judicial branch

US District Court (judges are appointed by the president); Territorial Court (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 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--Democratic Party 6, independents 5, Republican Party 2, Independent Citizens Movement 2 note: the Virgin Islands elect one representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000); results--Dr. Donna GREEN (Democrat) 80%, Victor O. FRAZER (ICM) 20%

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party [James O'BRYON

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: 28% (male 17,454; female 16,585) 15-64 years: 63% (male 34,712; female 41,325) 65 years and over: 9% (male 4,237; female 5,514) (1999 est.)

Birth rate

17.08 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate

5.34 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups

black 80%, white 15%, other 5%

Infant mortality rate

10.07 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages

English (official), Spanish, Creole

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.74 years male: 74.04 years female: 81.67 years (1999 est.)

Literacy

NA

Nationality

noun: Virgin Islander(s) adjective: Virgin Islander

Net migration rate

0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population

119,827 (July 1999 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

1.19% (1999 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.42 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Disputes--international

none

Airports

2 note: international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix; there is an airfield on St. John (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways

total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1998 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