Virgin Islands

During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

• several hurricanes in recent years;
• frequent and severe droughts and floods;
• occasional earthquakes

• 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

0-14 years:

26% (male 16,685; female 15,794)

15-64 years:

64.4% (male 36,241; female 44,157)

65 years and over:

9.5% (male 5,078; female 6,823) (2003 est.)

at birth:

1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.82 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.74 male(s)/female

total population:

0.87 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

noun:

Virgin Islander(s)

adjective:

Virgin Islander

definition:

NA

total population:

NA%

male:

NA%

female:

NA%

conventional long form:

United States Virgin Islands

conventional short form:

Virgin Islands

former:

Danish West Indies

• 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

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

chief of state:

President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (Since 20 January 2001)

election results:

Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL reelected governor; percent of vote - Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (Democrat) 50.5%, John de JONGH 24.4%

elections:

• US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms;
• governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms;
• election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006)

head of government:

Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999) and Lieutenant Governor Vargrave RICHARDS (since NA January 2003)

cabinet:

NA

• Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON];
• Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS];
• Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]

• 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

agriculture:

NA%

industry:

NA%

services:

NA%

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

general assessment:

NA

domestic:

modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay

international:

submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA

total:

856 km

paved:

NA km

note: the only US possession where driving on the left side of the road is practiced (2000)

unpaved:

NA km