Paracel Islands (2003) | Virgin Islands (2003) | |
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: 26% (male 16,685; female 15,794)
15-64 years: 64.4% (male 36,241; female 44,157) 65 years and over: 9.5% (male 5,078; female 6,823) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle |
Airports | 1 (2002) | 2 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: NA sq km
land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 352 sq km
land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km |
Area - comparative | NA | twice the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. | 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 | - | 15.8 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $364.4 million
expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.) |
Capital | - | Charlotte Amalie |
Climate | tropical | subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November |
Coastline | 518 km | 188 km |
Constitution | - | Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands |
conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies |
Currency | - | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | - | 5.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $NA |
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 |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | none (territory of the US) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (territory of the US) |
Disputes - international | occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $NA |
Economy - overview | China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 957.9 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | - | 1.03 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 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 78%, white 10%, other 12%
note: West Indian 81% (49% born in the Virgin Islands and 32% born elsewhere in the West Indies), US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 4%, other 2% |
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 Vargrave RICHARDS (since NA January 2003) 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 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006) election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL reelected governor; percent of vote - Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (Democrat) 50.5%, John de JONGH 24.4% |
Exports | - | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | - | refined petroleum products |
Exports - partners | - | US, Puerto Rico |
Fiscal year | - | 1 October - 30 September |
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 |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 2% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 16 30 N, 112 00 E | 18 20 N, 64 50 W |
Geography - note | composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group | 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 note: the only US possession where driving on the left side of the road is practiced (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | NA (2001) |
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 | - | total: 9 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 2% (1992) |
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 | - | 49,000 (2002 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% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 6% other: 79% (1998 est.) |
Languages | - | English (official), Spanish, Creole |
Legal system | - | based on US laws |
Legislative branch | - | unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 8, ICM NA, no party affiliation NA note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); results - Donna M. CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 78.59 years
male: 74.73 years female: 82.68 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | NA | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | occupied by China | 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 | typhoons | 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 (2003 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.) |
124,778 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 1.02% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded | Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002) |
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: 0.82 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2003 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 | - | 65,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 2,000 (1992) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 2 (2002) |
Terrain | mostly low and flat | mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land |
Total fertility rate | - | 2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 4.9% (March 1999) |
Waterways | none | none |