Airports [time series]

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

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

856 km total

Ports [time series]

Saint Croix--Christiansted, Frederiksted; Saint Thomas--Long Bay, Crown Bay, Red Hook; Saint 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 radios; 56,000 TVs

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

Budget [time series]

revenues $470 million; expenditures $322 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

US currency is used

Economic aid [time series]

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $34.5 million

Electricity [time series]

358,000 kW capacity; 532 million kWh produced, 5,360 kWh per capita (1990)

Exchange rates [time series]

US currency is used

Exports [time series]

$2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1988); 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]

$1.0 billion, per capita $9,000; real growth rate NA% (1985)

Imports [time series]

$3.7 billion (c.i.f., 1988); 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, 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, most food being imported. International business and financial services are a small but growing component of the economy. The world's largest petroleum refinery is at Saint Croix.

Unemployment rate [time series]

2.0% (1990)

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 Contiguous zone: 12 nm; Continental shelf: 200 m (depth); Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

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

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; Saint 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

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 A. FARRELLY (since 5 January 1987); Lieutenant Governor Derek HODGE (since 5 January 1987) Democratic Party, Marilyn STAPLETON; Independent Citizens' Movement (ICM), Virdin BROWN; Republican Party, Charlotte-Poole DAVIS

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

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ECLAC (associate), IOC

National holiday [time series]

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

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 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(15 total) number of seats by party NA; US House of Representatives--last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992); 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 (1991)

Death rate [time series]

5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

19 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force [time series]

45,500 (1988)

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 (1991)

Literacy [time series]

NA% (male NA%, female NA%)

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

- 10 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor [time series]

90% of the government labor force

Population [time series]

99,404 (July 1991), growth rate 0.7% (1991)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.7 children born/woman (1991)