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; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 8 FM, 4 TV; modern system using fiber-optic cable, submarine cable, microwave radio, and satellite facilities; 98,000 radios; 63,000 TV (1988)

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 $364.4 million; expenditures $364.4 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 (1970-89), $42 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]

purchasing power equivalent - $1.2 billion, per capita $11,000; real growth rate NA% (1987)

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

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

none

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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

Area (Land area) [time series]

349 km2

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%

Maritime claims [time series]

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

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

Administrative divisions [time series]

none (territory of the US)

Capital [time series]

Charlotte Amalie

Constitution [time series]

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

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

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

Governor: last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held November 1994); results - Governor Alexander FARRELLY (Democratic Party) 56.5% defeated Juan LUIS (independent) 38.5% 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 - Ron DE LUGO reelected as nonvoting delegate seats - (1 total); seat by party NA; note - the Virgin Islands elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives

Executive branch [time series]

US president, popularly elected governor and 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

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State and Head of Government: President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989); Governor Alexander A. FARRELLY (since 5 January 1987); Lieutenant Governor Derek M. 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

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ECLAC (associate), IOC, applied for associate membership in OECS in February 1990

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 C. BROWN; Republican Party, Charlotte-Poole DAVIS

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18

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]

21 births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate [time series]

5 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

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]

13 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Labor force [time series]

45,500 (1988)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

74 years male, 77 years female (1992)

Literacy [time series]

NA% (male NA%, female NA%)

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-26 migrants/1,000 population (1992)

Organized labor [time series]

90% of the government labor force

Population [time series]

98,942 (July 1992), growth rate -1.0% (1992)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.7 children born/woman (1992)