Bouvet Island (2003) | Virgin Islands (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | - | 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 |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years:
27.27% (male 17,121; female 16,204) 15-64 years: 63.92% (male 35,391; female 42,727) 65 years and over: 8.81% (male 4,638; female 6,130) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle |
Airports | - | 2
note: international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total:
2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 58.5 sq km
land: 58.5 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
352 sq km land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC | twice the size of Washington, DC |
Background | This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island. | 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. |
Birth rate | - | 15.9 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues:
$364.4 million expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.) |
Capital | - | Charlotte Amalie |
Climate | antarctic | subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November |
Coastline | 29.6 km | 188 km |
Constitution | - | Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bouvet Island |
conventional long form:
United States Virgin Islands conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies |
Currency | - | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | - | 5.47 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $NA |
Dependency status | territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo | 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 | - | none (territory of the US) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (territory of the US) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $NA |
Economy - overview | no economic activity; declared a nature reserve | 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, and protect the environment. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 948.6 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | - | 1.02 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Olav Peak 935 m |
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | lack of natural freshwater resources |
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% |
Exchange rates | - | the US dollar is used |
Executive branch | - | chief of state:
President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (Since 20 January 2001) 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% |
Exports | - | $NA |
Exports - commodities | - | refined petroleum products |
Exports - partners | - | US, Puerto Rico |
Fiscal year | - | 1 October - 30 September |
Flag description | the flag of Norway is used | 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 |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $1.8 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 54 26 S, 3 24 E | 18 20 N, 64 50 W |
Geography - note | covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve | 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 |
Highways | - | total:
856 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | $NA |
Imports - commodities | - | crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials |
Imports - partners | - | US, Puerto Rico |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | - | tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics |
Infant mortality rate | - | 9.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | NA% |
International organization participation | - | ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 50 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | - | US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms) |
Labor force | - | 47,443 (1990 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (93% ice) (1998 est.) |
arable land:
15% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 26% forests and woodland: 6% other: 47% (1993 est.) |
Languages | - | English (official), Spanish, Creole |
Legal system | the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply | based on US laws |
Legislative branch | - | unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 6, ICM 2, independents 7 note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); results - Donna M. CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) elected |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population:
78.27 years male: 74.38 years female: 82.39 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition:
NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Antarctic Region | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 4 NM | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Norway | defense is the responsibility of the US |
National holiday | - | Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) |
Nationality | - | noun:
Virgin Islander(s) adjective: Virgin Islander |
Natural hazards | NA | several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes |
Natural resources | none | sun, sand, sea, surf |
Net migration rate | - | 0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHON]; Republican Party [Gary SCROUVE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | uninhabited (July 2003 est.) | 122,211 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 1.06% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 107,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | - | Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% |
Sex ratio | - | 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 (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections |
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 |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 62,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 2,000 (1992) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 2 (1997) |
Terrain | volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible | mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land |
Total fertility rate | - | 2.25 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 4.9% (March 1999) |
Waterways | none | none |