Airports [time series]

total: 2 usable: 2 with permanent-surface runways : 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2 note: 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]

modern telephone system using fiber-optic cable, submarine cable, microwave radio, and satellite facilities; 58,931 telephones; 98,000 radios; 63,000 TV sets in use; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 8 FM, 4 TV (1988)

Affiliation [time series]

(territory of the US)

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]

380,000 kW capacity; 565 million kWh produced, 5,710 kWh per capita (1992)

Exports [time series]

$2.8 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: refined petroleum products partners: US, Puerto Rico

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$NA

Fiscal year [time series]

1 October - 30 September

Imports [time series]

$3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials partners: US, Puerto Rico

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

growth rate 12%; accounts for NA% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

NA%

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

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $1.2 billion (1987)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$11,000 (1987)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [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. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix.

Unemployment rate [time series]

3.7% (1992)

Area [time series]

total area: 352 km2 land area: 349 km2 comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

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

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA km2

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

in the eastern Caribbean Sea, about 110 km east and southeast of Puerto Rico

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m or depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

sun, sand, sea, surf

Note [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Administrative divisions [time series]

none (territory of the US)

Capital [time series]

Charlotte Amalie

Constitution [time series]

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Digraph [time series]

VQ

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [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 3 November 1992 (next to be held 2 November 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (15 total) number of seats by party NA US House of Representatives: last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 2 November 1994); results - Ron DE LUGO reelected as delegate; seats - (1 total); seat by party NA; note - the Virgin Islands elect one 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

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: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) Head of Government: 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

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ECLAC (associate), IOC

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Virgin Islands of the United States conventional short form: Virgin Islands

National holiday [time series]

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

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]

18 years of age; universal

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]

20.26 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

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]

12.54 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

45,500 (1988) by occupation: tourism 70%

Languages [time series]

English (official), Spanish, Creole

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 75.29 years male: 73.6 years female: 77.2 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-22.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

98,130 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-0.76% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.64 children born/woman (1993 est.)