{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "The Danes secured control over the southern Virgin Islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix during the 17th and early 18th centuries. Sugarcane, produced by African slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish holdings, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848. On 6 September 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the northern Virgin Islands of Saint Thomas and Saint John and inflicted severe damage to structures, roads, the airport on Saint Thomas, communications, and electricity. Less than two weeks later, Hurricane Maria passed over the island of Saint Croix in the southern Virgin Islands, inflicting considerable damage with heavy winds and flooding rains." } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "18 20 N, 64 50 W" }, "Map references": { "text": "Central America and the Caribbean" }, "Area": { "total": { "text": "1,910 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "346 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "1,564 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "twice the size of Washington, DC" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "0 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "188 km" }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { "text": "12 nm" }, "exclusive economic zone": { "text": "200 nm" } }, "Climate": { "text": "subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November" }, "Terrain": { "text": "mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little flat land" }, "Elevation": { "highest point": { "text": "Crown Mountain 474 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Caribbean Sea 0 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "11.5% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 2.9% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 2.9% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 5.7% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "57.4% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "31.1% (2018 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "1 sq km (2012)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "while overall population density throughout the islands is relatively low, concentrations appear around Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas and Christiansted on St. Croix" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes" }, "Geography - note": { "text": "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" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "104,917 (2023 est.)" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Virgin Islander" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Black 76%, White 15.6%, Asian 1.4%, other 4.9%, mixed 2.1% (2010 est.)", "note": "note: 17.4% self-identify as Latino" }, "Languages": { "text": "English 71.6%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 17.2%, French or French Creole 8.6%, other 2.5% (2010 est.)" }, "Religions": { "text": "Protestant 65.5%, Roman Catholic 27.1%, other Christians 2.2%, other 1.5%, none 3.7% (2010 est.)" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "19.07% (male 10,224/female 9,779)" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "60.04% (male 29,796/female 33,197)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "20.89% (2023 est.) (male 9805/female 12,116)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "64.6" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "32" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "34" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "3 (2021 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "41.8 years" }, "male": { "text": "40.6 years" }, "female": { "text": "42.8 years (2020 est.)" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "-0.49% (2023 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "11.35 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "8.99 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-7.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "while overall population density throughout the islands is relatively low, concentrations appear around Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas and Christiansted on St. Croix" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "96.2% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "-0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "52,000 CHARLOTTE AMALIE (capital) (2018)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.06 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.05 male(s)/female" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "0.9 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.81 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "0.9 male(s)/female (2023 est.)" } }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "7.49 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "male": { "text": "8.48 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "6.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "80.49 years" }, "male": { "text": "77.32 years" }, "female": { "text": "83.85 years (2023 est.)" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "1.98 children born/woman (2023 est.)" }, "Gross reproduction rate": { "text": "0.96 (2023 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "NA" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: NA" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: NA" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 98.7% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: NA" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: NA" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 1.3% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Current health expenditure": { "text": "NA" }, "Physicians density": { "text": "NA" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: NA" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: NA" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 99.4% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: NA" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: NA" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 0.6% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "NA" }, "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": { "text": "27.4% (2023)" }, "Education expenditures": { "text": "NA" }, "Literacy": { "total population": { "text": "NA" }, "male": { "text": "NA" }, "female": { "text": "NA" } }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "27%" }, "male": { "text": "24.1%" }, "female": { "text": "37.3% (2021 est.)" } } }, "Environment": { "Environment - current issues": { "text": "lack of natural freshwater resources; protection of coral reefs; solid waste management; coastal development; increased boating and overfishing" }, "Climate": { "text": "subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "11.5% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 2.9% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 2.9% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 5.7% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "57.4% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "31.1% (2018 est.)" } }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "96.2% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "-0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Revenue from forest resources": { "text": "0% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Waste and recycling": { "municipal solid waste generated annually": { "text": "146,500 tons (2012 est.)" } } }, "Government": { "Country name": { "conventional long form": { "text": "none" }, "conventional short form": { "text": "Virgin Islands" }, "former": { "text": "Danish West Indies" }, "abbreviation": { "text": "VI" }, "etymology": { "text": "the myriad islets, cays, and rocks surrounding the major islands reminded Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers (Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes), which over time shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes)" } }, "Government type": { "text": "unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches" }, "Dependency status": { "text": "unincorporated organized territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US Federal Government under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior, Washington, DC" }, "Capital": { "name": { "text": "Charlotte Amalie" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "18 21 N, 64 56 W" }, "time difference": { "text": "UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "etymology": { "text": "originally called Taphus in Danish - meaning \"tap house\" or \"beer house\" because of its many beer halls - the town received a more dignified name in 1691 when it was named Charlotte Amalie in honor of Danish King CHRISTIAN V’s wife, Charlotte AMALIE of Hesse-Kassel (1650–1714)" } }, "Administrative divisions": { "text": "none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas" }, "Independence": { "text": "none (territory of the US)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 31 March (1917)" }, "Constitution": { "history": { "text": "22 July 1954 - the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands functions as a constitution for this US territory" }, "amendments": { "text": "amended several times, last in 2012" } }, "Legal system": { "text": "US common law" }, "Citizenship": { "text": "see United States" }, "Suffrage": { "text": "18 years of age; universal; note - island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections" }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { "text": "President Joseph R. BIDEN, Jr. (since 20 January 2021); Vice President Kamala D. HARRIS (since 20 January 2021)" }, "head of government": { "text": "Governor Albert BRYAN, Jr. (since 7 January 2019), Lieutenant Governor Tregenza ROACH (since 7 January 2019)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Territorial Cabinet appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of the Virgin Islands do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in the Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held in November 2026)" }, "election results": { "text": "
Albert BRYAN, Jr. reelected governor; percent of vote - Albert BRYAN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 56%, Kurt VIALET (independent) 38%
" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { "text": "unicameral Legislature of the Virgin Islands (15 seats; senators directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve 2-year terms)NA
" }, "Exchange rates": { "text": "the US dollar is used
" } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "100% (2020)" } }, "Electricity": { "installed generating capacity": { "text": "321,000 kW (2020 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "561.24 million kWh (2019 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "0 kWh (2020 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "0 kWh (2020 est.)" }, "transmission/distribution losses": { "text": "51 million kWh (2019 est.)" } }, "Electricity generation sources": { "fossil fuels": { "text": "98.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "nuclear": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "solar": { "text": "1.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "wind": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "hydroelectricity": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "tide and wave": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "geothermal": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "biomass and waste": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" } }, "Petroleum": { "total petroleum production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2021 est.)" }, "refined petroleum consumption": { "text": "16,400 bbl/day (2019 est.)" }, "crude oil and lease condensate exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "crude oil and lease condensate imports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "crude oil estimated reserves": { "text": "0 barrels (2021 est.)" } }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - exports": { "text": "3,285 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - imports": { "text": "23,480 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Natural gas": { "production": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" } }, "Carbon dioxide emissions": { "total emissions": { "text": "2.438 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from coal and metallurgical coke": { "text": "0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from petroleum and other liquids": { "text": "2.438 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from consumed natural gas": { "text": "0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "76,000 (2021 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "76 (2021 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "80,000 (2021 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "80 (2021 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "modern system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay; good interisland and international connections; broadband access; expansion of FttP (Fiber to the Home) markets; LTE launches; regulatory development and expansion in several markets point to investment and focus on data (2020)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line 76 per 100 persons, with mobile-cellular 80 per 100 (2021)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 1-340; landing points for the BSCS, St Thomas-ST Croix System, Southern Caribbean Fiber, Americas II, GCN, MAC, PAN-AM and SAC submarine cable connections to US, the Caribbean, Central and South America; satellite earth stations - NA (2020)" } }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "about a dozen TV broadcast stations including 1 public TV station; multi-channel cable and satellite TV services are available; 24 radio stations" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".vi" }, "Internet users": { "total": { "text": "67,508 (2022 est.)" }, "percent of population": { "text": "64.8% (2022 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "Airports": { "text": "2 (2021)" }, "Airports - with paved runways": { "text": "2", "note": "note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)" }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "1,260 km (2008)" } }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "1,868" }, "by type": { "text": "bulk carrier 91, container ship 39, general cargo 1,205, oil tanker 118, other 415 (2019)" } }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { "text": "Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Frederiksted, Limetree Bay" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military - note": { "text": "defense is the responsibility of the US" } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { "text": "none identified
" } } }