Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 26% forests and woodland: 6% other: 47% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts, floods, and earthquakes
Environment-current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources
Environment-international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
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
@Virgin Islands:People
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%
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.)
Population growth rate: 1.16% (1998 est.)