Airports [time series]

2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m; international airports on St. Thomas and St. Croix

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

856 km total

Ports [time series]

St. Croix--Christiansted, Frederiksted; St. Thomas--Long Bay, Crown Bay, Red Hook; St. John--Cruz Bay

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

44,280 telephones; stations--4 AM, 6 FM, 3 TV; modern system using fiber optic cable, submarine cable, microwave radio, and satellite facilities; 90,000 radio receivers; 56,000 television sets

Note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the US

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

truck gardens, food crops (small scale), fruit, sorghum, Senepol cattle

Aid [time series]

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $33.5 million

Budget [time series]

revenues $315 million; expenditures $322 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY88)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

US currency is used

Electricity [time series]

341,000 kW capacity; 507 million kWh produced, 4,650 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

US currency is used

Exports [time series]

$3.4 billion (f.o.b., 1985); commodities--refined petroleum products; partners--US, Puerto Rico

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$NA

Fiscal year [time series]

1 October-30 September

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$1.03 billion, per capita $9,030; real growth rate NA% (1985)

Imports [time series]

$3.7 billion (c.i.f., 1985); commodities--crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials; partners--US, Puerto Rico

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 12%

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

NA%

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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 with most food imported. International business and financial services are a small but growing component of the economy. The world's largest petroleum refinery is at St. Croix.

Unemployment rate [time series]

3.5% (1987)

Climate [time series]

subtropical, tempered by easterly tradewinds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November

Coastline [time series]

188 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Contiguous zone [time series]

12 nm;

Continental shelf [time series]

200 m;

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

rarely affected by hurricanes; subject to frequent severe droughts, floods, earthquakes; lack of natural freshwater resources

Extended economic zone [time series]

200 nm;

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

sun, sand, sea, surf

Note [time series]

important location 1,770 km southeast of Miami and 65 km east of Puerto Rico, along the Anegada Passage--a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; St. Thomas has one of the best natural, deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

Terrain [time series]

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Maritime claims (Territorial sea) [time series]

12 nm

Area (Total area) [time series]

352 km2; land area: 349 km2

Administrative divisions [time series]

none (territory of the US)

Capital [time series]

Charlotte Amalie

Constitution [time series]

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 serves as the constitution

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch [time series]

US president, governor, lieutenant governor

Flag [time series]

white with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows an 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

Independence [time series]

none (territory of the US)

Judicial branch [time series]

US District Court handles civil matters over $50,000, felonies (persons 15 years of age and over), and federal cases; Territorial Court handles civil matters up to $50,000 small claims, juvenile, domestic, misdemeanors, and traffic cases Chief of State and Head of Government--President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989), represented by Governor Alexander FARRELLY (since 5 January 1987); Lieutenant Governor Derek HODGE (since 5 January 1987)

Legal system [time series]

based on US

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Senate

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Virgin Islands of the United States

National holiday [time series]

Transfer Day (from Denmark to US), 31 March (1917)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Democratic Party, Marilyn Stapleton; Independent Citizens' Movement (ICM), Virdin Brown; Republican Party, Charlotte-Poole Davis

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections Governor--last held NA 1986 (next to be held NA 1990); results--Alexander Farrelly (Democratic Party) defeated Adelbert Bryan (ICM); Senate--last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held NA); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(15 total) number of seats by party NA; US House of Representatives--last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held 6 November 1990); results--the Virgin Islands elects one nonvoting representative

Government type (Type) [time series]

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

Birth rate [time series]

22 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate [time series]

5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

74% West Indian (45% born in the Virgin Islands and 29% born elsewhere in the West Indies), 13% US mainland, 5% Puerto Rican, 8% other; 80% black, 15% white, 5% other; 14% of Hispanic origin

Infant mortality rate [time series]

19 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force [time series]

45,000 (1987)

Languages (Language) [time series]

English (official), but Spanish and Creole are widely spoken

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

70 years male, 76 years female (1990)

Literacy [time series]

90%

Nationality [time series]

noun--Virgin Islander(s); adjective--Virgin Islander

Net migration rate [time series]

- 20 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor [time series]

90% of the government labor force

Population [time series]

99,200 (July 1990), growth rate - 0.3% (1990)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.7 children born/woman (1990)