Virgin Islands

agricultural land:

11.5%;

• arable land 2.9%;
• permanent crops 2.9%;
• permanent pasture 5.7%

forest:

57.4%

other:

31.1% (2011 est.)

• 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

noun:

Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)

adjective:

Virgin Islander

at birth:

1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years:

0.82 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

0.82 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.83 male(s)/female

total population:

0.87 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

conventional long form:

United States Virgin Islands

conventional short form:

Virgin Islands

former:

Danish West Indies

abbreviation:

USVI

etymology:

the myriad islets, cays, and rocks surrounding the major islands reminded Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers (Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes), which over time shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes)

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 3 islands at the second order;
• Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas

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

chief of state:

President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2017); Vice President Michael R. PENCE (since 20 January 2017)

head of government:

Governor Kenneth MAPP (since 5 January 2015), Lieutenant Governor Osbert POTTER (since 5 January 2015)

cabinet:

Territorial Cabinet appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate

elections/appointments:

• president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state;
• president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term);
• under the US Constitution, residents of 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 directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term);
• election last held on 4 November 2014 (next to be held in November 2018)

election results:

Kenneth MAPP elected governor; percent of vote in runoff - Kenneth MAPP (independent) 63.9%, Donna CHRISTIAN-CHRISTIANSEN (Democratic Party) 36.1%

highest court(s):

• Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands (consists of the chief justice and 2 associate justices);
• note - court established by US Congress in 2004 and assumed appellate jurisdiction in 2007

judge selection and term of office:

• justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Virgin Islands Senate;
• justices initially serve renewable 10-year terms;
• chief justice elected to position by peers for a 3-year term

subordinate courts:

• Superior Court (Territorial Court renamed in 2004);
• US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (has appellate jurisdiction over the District Court of the Virgin Islands; it is a territorial court and is not associated with a US federal judicial district);
• District Court of the Virgin Islands

• Democratic Party [Donna M. CHRISTENSEN]
• Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Dale BLYDEN]
• Republican Party [John CANEGATA]

• 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 its right talon and three arrows in the left with a superimposed shield of seven red and six white vertical stripes below a blue panel;
• white is a symbol of purity, the letters stand for the Virgin Islands

name:

"Virgin Islands March"

lyrics/music:

multiple/Alton Augustus ADAMS, Sr.

note: adopted 1963; serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the US, "The Star-Spangled Banner" is official (see United States)

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 (2016)

• about a dozen TV broadcast stations including 1 public TV station;
• multi-channel cable and satellite TV services are available;
• 24 radio stations (2009)