Profile
Background and figures as recorded in the CIA World Factbook.
The Danes secured control over the southern Virgin Islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix during the 17th and early 18th centuries. Sugarcane, produced by African slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish holdings, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848. In 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the northern Virgin Islands of Saint Thomas and Saint John and inflicted severe damage to structures, roads, the airport on Saint Thomas, communications, and electricity.
- Capital
- Charlotte Amalie
- Government
- unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government;
- Population
- 103,792
- Area
- 1,910 sq km
- Location
- Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
- Climate
- subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation;
- Natural resources
- pleasant climate; beaches foster tourism
- Languages
- English 71.6%; Spanish or Spanish Creole 17.2%; French or French Creole 8.6%; other 2.5%
- Religions
- Protestant 65.5%; Roman Catholic 27.1%; other Christians 2.2%; other 1.5%…
- Independence
- none (territory of the US)
- Administrative divisions
- no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 3 islands are considered second-order: Sain…
- Export partners
- Haiti 14%; Guadeloupe 7%; Malaysia 7%; Martinique 7%…
- Import partners
- India 18%; Algeria 14%; South Korea 9%; Argentina 9%…
Source: CIA World Factbook — a work of the US government, in the public domain