Virgin Islands of the United States

I

Introduction

Virgin Islands of the United States, group of 3 islands and about 50 islets, most of which are uninhabited, in the Lesser Antilles chain of the West Indies, east of Puerto Rico and lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The three islands, with their areas, are Saint Thomas (73 sq km/28 sq mi), Saint John (52 sq km/20 sq mi), and Saint Croix (207 sq km/80 sq mi). The capital is Charlotte Amalie (2000 population, 11,004), on Saint Thomas. Other communities in the group are Christiansted and Frederiksted, both on Saint Croix. The total area is 1,909 sq km (737 sq mi), and the total population (2007) is 108,448.

II

Land and Resources

The islands are generally hilly to mountainous. Crown Mountain (474 m/1,555 ft) on Saint Thomas is the highest point. The climate is tropical, moderated by prevailing trade winds. The average annual temperature is 26.7° C (80° F). Vegetation is luxuriant and diverse. Mineral resources are lacking, although sand and stone are mined for local construction.

III

Economy

Tourism is vital to the economy of the Virgin Islands. Some 32 percent of all paid employees are engaged in retail sales or in services provided by recreation, motels, hotels, and restaurants. The number of tourists visiting the islands rose from about 200,000 in 1960 and 1961 to some 1.5 million in 1986; in the same period, spending by tourists grew from $26 million to more than $500 million. Some 2 million tourists arrived by cruise ship alone in 2005. Products manufactured in the islands include rum, watches, textiles, and pharmaceuticals. The islands also have petroleum and alumina processing plants. The total value of goods and services produced in the Virgin Islands, or its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), totaled $2 billion in 1993.

The islands form the easternmost outpost of the United States. The United States Marine Corps maintains an air base on Saint Thomas and an airfield on Saint Croix.

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IV

Education and Government

Education is compulsory for all children between the ages of 6 and 16. Free schooling is provided in elementary and secondary schools. In the 1992–1993 school year the islands' 62 public elementary schools had an annual enrollment of 14,500 pupils. The College of the Virgin Islands (1962), a public institution on Saint Thomas, had an annual enrollment of about 2,550 students.

From 1917, when the United States acquired the Virgin Islands, to 1931 the islands were governed by the Department of the Navy. In 1931 jurisdiction was transferred to the Department of the Interior, and a civil governor was appointed by the president. Since 1970 the governor has been popularly elected. The unicameral legislature is elected for two-year terms and is composed of 15 senators, 7 each from the districts of Saint Croix and Saint Thomas–Saint John, and 1 senator at large who must be a resident of Saint John. Executive power is vested in an elected governor and lieutenant governor, an attorney general appointed by the governor, and other officials. The government comptroller is appointed by the secretary of the interior, and the judge of the district court is appointed by the president of the United States.