ARCHIVE // VI // 2000

Virgin Islands

2000 Edition — territory

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Communications
Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]
2 (1999)
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios [time series]
107,000 (1997)
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 - main lines in use) [time series]
58,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
2,000 (1992)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
2 (1997)
Televisions [time series]
68,000 (1997)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
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 [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 manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, 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. The islands are subject to substantial damage from storms.
Electricity - consumption [time series]
948 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - production [time series]
1.019 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source [time series]
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Exchange rates [time series]
US currency is used
Exports [time series]
$NA
Exports - commodities [time series]
refined petroleum products
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 - $1.8 billion (1999 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 - $15,000 (1999 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]
$NA
Imports - commodities [time series]
crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
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 [time series]
agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.)
Population below poverty line [time series]
NA%
Unemployment rate [time series]
4.9% (March 1999)
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 352 sq km land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km
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 [time series]
lack of natural freshwater resources
Geographic coordinates [time series]
18 20 N, 64 50 W
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
Government
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 with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of 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 Gererd 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 on the same ticket 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, Republican Party 2, ICM 2, independents 5 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'BRYAN, Jr.]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Virdin C. BROWN]; Republican Party [James OLIVER]
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Introduction
Background [time series]
During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.
Military
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the US
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 27.8% (male 17,258; female 16,359) 15-64 years: 63.72% (male 35,026; female 42,021) 65 years and over: 8.48% (male 4,435; female 5,818) (2000 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
15.96 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate [time series]
5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
black 80%, white 15%, other 5% 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%
Infant mortality rate [time series]
9.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Languages [time series]
English (official), Spanish, Creole
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 78.11 years male: 74.2 years female: 82.25 years (2000 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Nationality [time series]
noun: Virgin Islander(s) adjective: Virgin Islander
Net migration rate [time series]
0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Population [time series]
120,917 (July 2000 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
1.07% (2000 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: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.83 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
2.27 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]
Transportation
Airports [time series]
2 note: international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 856 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Merchant marine [time series]
none (1999 est.)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix
Railways [time series]
0 km