:Virgin Islands Geography
Total area:
352 km2
Land area:
349 km2
Comparative area:
slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
188 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone:
12 nm
Continental shelf:
200 m (depth)
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
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%
Environment:
rarely affected by hurricanes; subject to frequent severe droughts, floods,
earthquakes; lack of natural freshwater resources
Note:
important location 1,770 km southeast of Miami and 65 km east of Puerto
Rico, 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:
98,942 (July 1992), growth rate -1.0% (1992)
Birth rate:
21 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
5 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
-26 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
13 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
74 years male, 77 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.7 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Virgin Islander(s); adjective - Virgin Islander; US citizens
Ethnic divisions:
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%; black 80%,
white 15%, other 5%; Hispanic origin 14%
Religions:
Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%
Languages:
English (official), but Spanish and Creole are widely spoken
Literacy:
NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Labor force:
45,500 (1988)
Organized labor:
90% of the government labor force
:Virgin Islands Government
Long-form name:
Virgin Islands of the United States
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)
Independence:
none (territory of the US)
Constitution:
Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954
Legal system:
based on US
National holiday:
Transfer Day (from Denmark to US), 31 March (1917)
Executive branch:
US president, popularly elected governor and lieutenant governor
Legislative branch:
unicameral Senate
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
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989); Governor Alexander A.
FARRELLY (since 5 January 1987); Lieutenant Governor Derek M. HODGE (since 5
January 1987)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party, Marilyn STAPLETON; Independent Citizens' Movement (ICM),
Virdin C. BROWN; Republican Party, Charlotte-Poole DAVIS
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
Governor:
last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held November 1994); results -
Governor Alexander FARRELLY (Democratic Party) 56.5% defeated Juan LUIS
(independent) 38.5%
Senate:
last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (15 total) number of seats by party NA
US House of Representatives:
last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results - Ron
DE LUGO reelected as nonvoting delegate seats - (1 total); seat by party NA;
note - the Virgin Islands elects one nonvoting representative to the US
House of Representatives
Member of:
ECLAC (associate), IOC, applied for associate membership in OECS in February
1990
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
:Virgin Islands 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. The
world's largest petroleum refinery is at Saint Croix.
GDP:
purchasing power equivalent - $1.2 billion, per capita $11,000; real growth
rate NA% (1987)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%
Unemployment rate:
2.0% (1990)
Budget:
revenues $364.4 million; expenditures $364.4 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY90)
Exports:
$2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1988)
commodities:
refined petroleum products
partners:
US, Puerto Rico
Imports:
$3.7 billion (c.i.f., 1988)
commodities:
crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
partners:
US, Puerto Rico
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate 12%
Electricity:
358,000 kW capacity; 532 million kWh produced, 5,360 kWh per capita (1990)
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:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $42
million
Currency:
US currency is used
Exchange rates:
US currency is used
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
:Virgin Islands Communications
Highways:
856 km total
Ports:
Saint Croix - Christiansted, Frederiksted; Saint Thomas - Long Bay, Crown
Bay, Red Hook; Saint John - Cruz Bay
Airports:
2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m;
international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix
Telecommunications:
44,280 telephones; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 8 FM, 4 TV; modern system
using fiber-optic cable, submarine cable, microwave radio, and satellite
facilities; 98,000 radios; 63,000 TV (1988)