Virgin Islands (U.S.)
|
| Basic Facts |
| Country name |
conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies abbreviation: USVI |
| Gevernment type | NA |
| Capital |
name: Charlotte Amalie
geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| 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 |
| Currency | US dollar (USD) |
| Internet country code | .vi |
| Ports and terminals | Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay |
| Agriculture products | fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle |
| Industries | tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics |
| Geography |
| Location | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
| Coordinates | 18 20 N, 64 50 W |
| Continent | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Area |
total: 1,910 sq km
land: 346 sq km water: 1,564 sq km |
| Boundaries | 0 km |
| Coastline | 188 km |
| Climate | subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November |
| Terrain | mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land |
| Natural resources | sun, sand, sea, surf |
| Natural hazards | several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes |
| People |
| Population | 108,605 (July 2006 est.) |
| Ethnic groups | black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census) |
| Religions | Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% |
| Languages | English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census) |
