Virgin Islands
republican form of government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branchesIndependence none (territory of the US)
Virgin Islands as the 2020 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 127 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
The Danes secured control over the southern Virgin Islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix during the 17th and early 18th centuries. Sugarcane, produced by African slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish holdings, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848. On 6 September 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the northern Virgin Islands of Saint Thomas and Saint John and inflicted severe damage to structures, roads, the airport on Saint Thomas, communications, and electricity. Less than two weeks later, Hurricane Maria passed over the island of Saint Croix in the southern Virgin Islands, inflicting considerable damage with heavy winds and flooding rains.
Geography
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
18 fieldsLand useshare of 1,910 sq km
Location
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Climate
subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November
Population distribution
while overall population density throughout the islands is relatively low, concentrations appear around Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas and Christiansted on St. Croix
Natural hazards
- several hurricanes in recent years;
- frequent and severe droughts and floods;
- occasional earthquakes
Environment - current issues
- lack of natural freshwater resources;
- protection of coral reefs;
- solid waste management;
- coastal development;
- increased boating and overfishing
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
People and Society
25 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2020 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2020 est.)
Male · female(2020 est.)
Ethnic groups(2010 est.)
Languages
English 71.6%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 17.2%, French or French Creole 8.6%, other 2.5% (2010 est.)
Population distribution
while overall population density throughout the islands is relatively low, concentrations appear around Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas and Christiansted on St. Croix
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 0.95 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 0.88 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 0.91 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.81 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.91 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Drinking water source
- improved:
- total: 98.7% of population
- unimproved:
- total: 1.3% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility access
- improved:
- total: 100% of population
- unimproved:
- total: 100% of population (2017 est.)
Government
Republican form of government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches; President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2017); Governor Albert BRYAN, Jr. (since 7 January 2019), Lieutenant Governor Tregenza ROACH (since 7 January 2019)
20 fieldsLegislature of the Virgin Islands, 15 seatsone dot, one seat
Composition: men 11, women 4, percent of women 26.7%
Country name
- conventional long form:
- none
- conventional short form:
- Virgin Islands
- former:
- Danish West Indies
- abbreviation:
- VI
- 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)
Dependency status
unincorporated organized territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the federal government under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Government type
- republican form of government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches;
- unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government
Capital
- name:
- Charlotte Amalie
- geographic coordinates:
- 18 21 N, 64 56 W
- time difference:
- UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- etymology:
- originally called Taphus in Danish - meaning "tap house" or "beer house" because of its many beer halls - the town received a more dignified name in 1691 when it was named Charlotte Amalie in honor of Danish King Christian V’s wife, Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (1650–1714)
Administrative divisions
- 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
Constitution
- history:
- 22 July 1954 - the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands functions as a constitution for this US territory
- amendments:
- revised 1962, 2000
Suffrage
- 18 years of age;
- universal;
- note - island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2017); Vice President Michael R. PENCE (since 20 January 2017)
- head of government:
- Governor Albert BRYAN, Jr. (since 7 January 2019), Lieutenant Governor Tregenza ROACH (since 7 January 2019)
- 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 6 November 2018 with a runoff on 20 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2022)
- election results:
- Albert BRYAN, Jr. elected governor in the second round;
- percent of vote in first round - Albert BRYAN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 38.1%, Kenneth MAPP (independent) 33.5%, Adlah "Foncie" DONASTORG, Jr. (independent) 16.5%, other 11.9%;
- percent of vote in second round- Albert BRYAN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 54.5%, Kenneth MAPP (independent) 45.2%, other .3%
Legislative branch
- description:
- unicameral Legislature of the Virgin Islands (15 seats; senators directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve 2-year terms); the Virgin Islands directly elects 1 delegate to the US House of Representatives by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term
- elections:
- Legislature of the Virgin Islands last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020); US House of Representatives last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)
- election results:
- ; delegate to US House of Representatives - seat by party - Democratic Party 1; composition - 1 woman
- Legislature of the Virgin Islands - percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - Democratic Party 13, independents 2;
- composition - men 11, women 4, percent of women 26.7%
note: the Virgin Islands to the US House of Representatives can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote
Judicial branch
- highest courts:
- Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands (consists of the chief justice and 2 associate justices);
- note - court established by the 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 serve initial 10-year terms and upon reconfirmation, during the extent of good behavior;
- 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
Political parties and leaders
- Democratic Party [Stacey PLASKELL]
- Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Dale BLYDEN]
- Republican Party [John CANEGATA]
International organization participation
AOSIS (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs)
Flag description
- 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
National anthem
- 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)
Economy
Tourism, trade, other services, and rum production are the primary economic activities of the US Virgin Islands (USVI), accounting for most of its GDP and employment.
27 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2012 est.)
By end use% of GDP
Budget(2016 est.)
Economic overview
Tourism, trade, other services, and rum production are the primary economic activities of the US Virgin Islands (USVI), accounting for most of its GDP and employment. The USVI receives between 2.5 and 3 million tourists a year, mostly from visiting cruise ships. The islands are vulnerable to damage from storms, as evidenced by the destruction from two major hurricanes in 2017.
Recovery and rebuilding have continued, but full recovery from these back-to-back hurricanes is years away. The USVI government estimates it will need $7.5 billion, almost twice the territory’s GDP, to rebuild the territory. The agriculture sector is small and most food is imported.
In 2016, government spending (both federal and territorial together) accounted for about 27% of GDP while exports of goods and services, including spending by tourists, accounted for nearly 47%. Federal programs and grants, including rum tax cover-over totaling $482.3 million in 2016, contributed 32.2% of the territory’s total revenues.
The economy picked up 0.9% in 2016 and had appeared to be progressing before the 2017 hurricanes severely damaged the territory’s infrastructure and the economy.
Energy
24 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2020)
Installed generating capacity, 325,000 kW(2016 est.)
Communications
5 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2018–19 est.)
Telecommunication systems
- general assessment:
- modern system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay;
- good interisland and international connections;
- broadband access;
- expansion of FttP (Fiber to the Home) markets;
- LTE launches;
- regulatory development and expansion in several markets point to investment and focus on data (2020)
- domestic:
- full range of services available; fixed-line 72 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular 75 per 100 (2019)
- international:
- country code - 1-340;
- landing points for the BSCS, St Thomas-ST Croix System, Southern Caribbean Fiber, Americas II, GCN, MAC, PAN-AM and SAC submarine cable connections to US, the Caribbean, Central and South America;
- satellite earth stations - NA (2020)
note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide;
overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
Broadcast media
- about a dozen TV broadcast stations including 1 public TV station;
- multi-channel cable and satellite TV services are available;
- 24 radio stations
Transportation
5 fieldsMerchant marine, 1,868 ships by type(2019)
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Frederiksted, Limetree Bay
Military and Security
1 fieldTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Virgin Islands.” The World Factbook 2020. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/virgin-islands/2020.