Virgin Islands

Defense note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4, FM 8, shortwave 0 (1988)

Radios

105,000 (1992 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

65,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Agriculture

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

Economic aid

$NA

Economic 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.

Electricity

capacity: 320,000 kW production: 970 million kWh consumption per capita: 9,172 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

$2.8 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: refined petroleum products partners: US, Puerto Rico

External debt

$NA

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

$12,500 (1987 est.)

GDP real growth rate

NA%

Imports

$3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials partners: US, Puerto Rico

Industrial production growth rate

12% (year NA)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

47,443 (1990 est.) by occupation: agriculture, industry, services, other (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

3.7% (1992)

Area

total area: 352 sq km land area: 349 sq km comparative area: 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

Environment

current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources natural hazards: rarely affected by hurricanes; frequent and severe droughts, floods, and earthquakes international agreements: NA

Geographic coordinates

18 20 N, 64 50 W

Geographic 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

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 15% permanent crops: 6% meadows and pastures: 26% forest and woodland: 6% other: 47%

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 resources

sun, sand, sea, surf

Terrain

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

Administrative divisions

none (territory of the US)

Capital

Charlotte Amalie

Constitution

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Data code

VQ

Diplomatic representation in US

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch

chief of state: President (of the United States) 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) were elected for four-year terms by universal suffrage; election last held 22 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998); results - Dr. Roy L. SCHNEIDER (ICM) 54.7%, former Lieutenant Governor Derek HODGE 42.6%

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 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

International organization participation

ECLAC (associate), IOC

Judicial branch

US District Court, handles civil matters over $50,000, felonies (persons 15 years of age and over), and federal cases, judges are appointed by the president; Territorial Court, handles civil matters up to $50,000, small claims, juvenile, domestic, misdemeanors, and traffic cases, judges appointed by the governor

Legal system

based on US laws

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

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

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

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

Suffrage

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

Type of government

organized, unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of the Interior

US House of Representatives

elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held 5 November 1996); results - Victor O. FRAZER (ICM) 54.5%, Eileen R. PETERSON (Democrat) 45.5%; seats - (1 total) ICM 1; note - the Virgin Islands elects one representative to the US House of Representatives

US diplomatic representation

none (territory of the US)

Age structure

0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Birth rate

17.57 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

black 80%, white 15%, other 5%

Infant mortality rate

12.54 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

English (official), Spanish, Creole

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.29 years male: 73.6 years female: 77.2 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

NA

Nationality

noun: Virgin Islander(s) adjective: Virgin Islander

Net migration rate

-12.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

97,120 (July 1996 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

-0.06% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female all ages: NA male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.29 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 2 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2 note: international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix (1995 est.)

Highways

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

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix

Railways

0 km