Virgin Islands (2005) | Virgin Islands (2006) | |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 23.1% (male 12,676/female 12,421)
15-64 years: 66.2% (male 34,069/female 37,918) 65 years and over: 10.7% (male 5,125/female 6,499) (2005 est.) |
0-14 years: 22.4% (male 12,261/female 12,056)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 34,174/female 37,949) 65 years and over: 11.2% (male 5,385/female 6,780) (2006 est.) |
Airports | 2 (2004 est.) | 2 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
Area | total: 352 sq km
land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km |
total: 1,910 sq km
land: 346 sq km water: 1,564 sq km |
Birth rate | 14.2 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 13.96 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $560
expenditures: NA (2003) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
Capital | Charlotte Amalie | name: Charlotte Amalie
geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Country name | conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies |
conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies abbreviation: USVI |
Death rate | 6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | NA | $NA |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | $NA |
Economy - overview | Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and 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, to support construction projects in the private sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to protect the environment. | Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and 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 small but growing components 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, to support construction projects in the private sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to protect the environment. |
Electricity - consumption | 962.6 million kWh (2002) | 967.3 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | 1.035 billion kWh (2002) | 1.04 billion kWh (2003) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m |
Executive branch | chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (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 5 November 2002 (next to be held 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% |
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) cabinet: NA elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Virgin Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 and 21 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010) election results: John DeJONGH elected governor and takes office in January 2007; percent of vote - John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7% |
Exports | NA | NA bbl/day |
Exports - partners | US, Puerto Rico | US, Puerto Rico (2004) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.) | - |
Highways | total: 1,257 km
paved: 1,192 km unpaved: 65 km note: the only US possession where driving on the left side of the road is practiced (2003) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA | NA bbl/day |
Imports - partners | US, Puerto Rico | US, Puerto Rico (2004) |
Infant mortality rate | total: 8.03 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.11 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
total: 7.86 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.93 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
International organization participation | Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU | IOC, UPU |
Judicial branch | US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms) | US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms) |
Labor force | 48,900 (2003 est.) | 43,980 (2004 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 1%, industry 19%, services 80% (2003 est.) | agriculture: 1%
industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.) |
Land use | arable land: 11.76%
permanent crops: 2.94% other: 85.3% (2001) |
arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 2.86% other: 91.43% (2005) |
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 2 November 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 10, ICM 2, independent 3 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 2 November 2004); results - Donna M. CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected |
unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 8, ICM 4, independent 3 note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008); results - Donna M. CHRISTENSEN (Democrat) reelected |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.91 years
male: 75.08 years female: 82.96 years (2005 est.) |
total population: 79.05 years
male: 75.24 years female: 83.09 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90-95% est. male: NA% female: NA% (2005 est.) |
Nationality | noun: Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: Virgin Islander |
noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Virgin Islander |
Net migration rate | -8.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | -8.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Population | 108,708 (July 2005 est.) | 108,605 (July 2006 est.) |
Population growth rate | -0.07% (2005 est.) | -0.12% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 17, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2006) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal; note - island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections | 18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections |
Telephones - main lines in use | 69,400 (2002) | 70,900 (2004) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 41,000 (2002) | 64,200 (2004) |
Television broadcast stations | 16 (2004) | 5 (2006) |
Total fertility rate | 2.19 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 2.17 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 9.3% (2003 est.) | 6.2% (2004) |