Virgin Islands

From Imakoopedia

The Virgin Islands is a Caribbean island territory of the United States of America between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico. It was formerly known as the Danish West Indies. Together with the British Virgin Islands, to the northeast, the territory forms the Virgin Islands archipelago. The islands natural resources are sun, sand, sea, and surf.

Table of contents

1 Regions 2 Cities 3 Other destinations 4 Understand 4.1 Climate 4.2 Terrain 4.3 Location 4.4 History 5 Get in 5.1 By plane 5.2 By boat 6 Get around 7 Talk 8 Buy 9 Eat 10 Drink 11 Sleep 12 Learn 13 Work 14 Stay safe 15 Stay healthy 16 Respect 17 Contact 18 External links 19 Geography 20 People 21 Government 22 Economy 23 Communications 24 Transportation

Regions

There are three main islands:

• Saint Croix
• Saint John
• Saint Thomas

Cities

• Charlotte Amalie - Capital
• Christiansted
• Cruz Bay
• Port Alucroix

Other destinations

Understand

Climate

Subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November. Has experienced several hurricanes in recent years as well as frequent and severe droughts and floods.

Terrain

Mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land. occasional earthquakes.

Highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

Location

Is in an 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

History

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.

National holiday 

Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)

Get in

By plane

By boat

Get around

Talk

Languages 

English (official), Spanish, Creole

Buy

Eat

Drink

Sleep

• Hostel Happy is based in Saint Croix and offers a sailboat hostel for hosteling and chartering all over the greater Caribbean. http://www.hostelhappy.net

Learn

Work

Stay safe

This is the only US possession where driving on the left side (British) of the road is practiced (2000).

Stay healthy

Respect

Contact

External links

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Geography

Geographic coordinates 

18 20 N, 64 50 W

Area 

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

Area - comparative 

twice the size of Washington, DC

Coastline 

188 km

Maritime claims 

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Land use 

arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 6%
other: 79% (1998 est.)

Environment - current issues 

lack of natural freshwater resources

People

Population 

123,498 (July 2002 est.)

Nationality 

noun: Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups 

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%

Religions 

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

Government

Country name 

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

Dependency status 

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

Constitution 

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Legal system 

based on US laws

Suffrage 

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

Flag description 

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

Economy

Economy - overview 

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, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. 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. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, support construction projects in the private sector, expand tourist facilities, reduce crime, and protect the environment.

Industries 

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

Agriculture - products 

fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Exports - commodities 

refined petroleum products

Imports - commodities 

crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials

Currency 

US dollar (USD)

Currency code 

USD

Exchange rates 

the US dollar is used

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

62,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

2,000 (1992)

Telephone system 

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

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios 

107,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

2 (2002)

Televisions 

68,000 (1997)

Internet country code 

.vi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

50 (2000)

Internet users 

12,000 (2000)

Transportation

Highways 

total: 856 km
paved: NA km
note: the only US possession where driving on the left side of the road is practiced (2000)
unpaved: NA km

Merchant marine 

none (2002 est.)

Airports 

2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)