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

at birth:

1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.88 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.82 male(s)/female

total population:

0.9 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

noun:

Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)

adjective:

Virgin Islander

definition:

age 15 and over can read and write

total population:

90-95% est.

male:

NA

female:

NA (2005 est.)

conventional long form:

United States Virgin Islands

conventional short form:

Virgin Islands

former:

Danish West Indies

abbreviation:

USVI

name:

Charlotte Amalie

geographic coordinates:

18 21 N, 64 56 W

time difference:

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

• 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;
• island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

chief of state:

President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)

head of government:

Governor John DeJONGH (since 1 January 2007)

cabinet:

NA

elections:

• under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Virgin Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president;
• however, they may vote in the Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections;
• governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);
• election last held 7 and 21 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010)

election results:

John DeJONGH elected governor; percent of vote - John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7%

• US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction);
• Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms)

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

• white field 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:

1%

industry:

19%

services:

80% (2003 est.)

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

general assessment:

modern system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay

domestic:

full range of services available

international:

• country code - 1-340;
• submarine cable connections to US, the Caribbean, Central and South America;
• satellite earth stations - NA

males age 16-49:

17,820

females age 16-49:

21,193 (2009 est.)

male:

831

female:

873 (2009 est.)