Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 4, FM 8, shortwave 0 (1988)

Radios [time series]

105,000 (1994 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations--NA

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

60,000 (1990 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

66,000 (1994 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture--products) [time series]

truck garden products, fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Budget [time series]

revenues: $364.4 million expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Debt - external (Debt--external) [time series]

$NA

Economic aid (Economic aid--recipient) [time series]

$NA

Economic overview (Economy--overview) [time series]

Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year. The number of US tourists in the first five months of 1996 was down by 55% from the same period in 1995, the lingering result of the fierce hurricanes of 1995. Unemployment rose sharply in 1996. The manufacturing sector consists of textile, electronics, pharmaceutical, and watch assembly plants. The agricultural sector is small, with 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. A major economic problem at the beginning of 1997 was the more than $1 billion in governmental arrears, income tax refunds, payments to vendors, and overdue wages.

Electricity - consumption (Electricity--consumption) [time series]

1.02 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - exports (Electricity--exports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - imports (Electricity--imports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - production (Electricity--production) [time series]

1.02 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - production by source (Electricity--production by source) [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates [time series]

US currency is used

Exports [time series]

$1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1992)

Exports - commodities (Exports--commodities) [time series]

refined petroleum products

Exports - partners (Exports--partners) [time series]

US, Puerto Rico

Fiscal year [time series]

1 October--30 September

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

purchasing power parity--$1.2 billion (1987 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP--composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Real GDP per capita (GDP--per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity?$12,500 (1987 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP--real growth rate) [time series]

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$2.2 billion (c.i.f., 1992)

Imports - commodities (Imports--commodities) [time series]

crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials

Imports - partners (Imports--partners) [time series]

US, Puerto Rico

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

NA%

Labor force [time series]

47,443 (1990 est.)

Labor force - by occupation (Labor force--by occupation) [time series]

agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 62%, other 17% (1990)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

6.2% (March 1994)

Area [time series]

total: 352 sq km land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km

Area - comparative (Area--comparative) [time series]

twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

188 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

Environment - current issues (Environment--current issues) [time series]

lack of natural freshwater resources

International environmental agreements (Environment--international agreements) [time series]

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates [time series]

18 20 N, 64 50 W

Geography - note (Geography--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

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 15% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 26% forests and woodland: 6% other: 47% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Natural resources [time series]

sun, sand, sea, surf

Terrain [time series]

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Administrative divisions [time series]

none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas

Capital [time series]

Charlotte Amalie

Constitution [time series]

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Virgin Islands of the United States conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies

Data code [time series]

VQ

Dependency status [time series]

organized, unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999) and Lieutenant Governor Gerald LUZ James II (since 5 January 1999) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2002) election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL elected governor; percent of vote--Dr. Charles W. TURNBULL (Democrat) 58.9%, former Governor Roy L. SCHNEIDER (ICM) 41.1%

Flag (Flag description) [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 a yellow 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

Government type [time series]

NA

International organization participation [time series]

ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC

Judicial branch [time series]

US District Court (judges are appointed by the president); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor)

Legal system [time series]

based on US laws

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--Democratic Party 6, independents 5, Republican Party 2, Independent Citizens Movement 2 note: the Virgin Islands elect one representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000); results--Dr. Donna GREEN (Democrat) 80%, Victor O. FRAZER (ICM) 20%

National holiday [time series]

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

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

Democratic Party [James O'BRYON

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal; note--indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Military - note (Military--note) [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the US

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 28% (male 17,454; female 16,585) 15-64 years: 63% (male 34,712; female 41,325) 65 years and over: 9% (male 4,237; female 5,514) (1999 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

17.08 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.34 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

black 80%, white 15%, other 5%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

10.07 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages [time series]

English (official), Spanish, Creole

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 77.74 years male: 74.04 years female: 81.67 years (1999 est.)

Literacy [time series]

NA

Nationality [time series]

noun: Virgin Islander(s) adjective: Virgin Islander

Net migration rate [time series]

0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population [time series]

119,827 (July 1999 est.) note: 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%

Population growth rate [time series]

1.19% (1999 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.42 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Disputes - international (Disputes--international) [time series]

none

Airports [time series]

2 note: international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix; there is an airfield on St. John (1998 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports--with paved runways) [time series]

total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 856 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Merchant marine [time series]

none

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix

Railways [time series]

0 km