US Virgin Islands

The emblem is based on the arms of the United States. The eagle holds three arrows, representing the main islands, and an olive branch.

Part of the Virgin Islands group in the West Indies, situated 113 km/70 mi east of Puerto Rico, and to the south and west of the British Virgin Islands. They comprise the islands of St Thomas, St Croix, St John, and about 50 small islets; area 350 sq km/135 sq mi; population (1997 est) 97,240. The islands, an unincorporated territory of the USA, lie along the Anegada Passage, an important shipping lane for vessels heading towards the Panama Canal. The capital is Charlotte Amalie on St Thomas. Tourism is the principal industry but numbers of visitors have declined and unemployment has risen as a result of severe hurricanes in 1995. Saint Croix has one of the largest oil refineries in the world, while other local industries include textiles, electronic and pharmaceutical goods, and watch assembling.

For 250 years the islands were Denmark's only colony in the Caribbean. They were bought for $25 million by the USA in 1917, to form an unincorporated territory.

Topography The islands have a tropical climate tempered by trade winds from the southwest. Annual temperatures average 26°C/79°F, but have a range of 36–17°C/97–63°F. Rainfall is about 1140 mm/45 in annually. St Thomas, with an area of 83 sq km/32 sq mi, has a good fertile soil. Throughout most of the island is an east–west ridge, the highest peak, Crown Mountain (472 m/1,549 ft) rising northwest of Charlotte Amalie. St Croix, with an area of 216 sq km/83 sq mi, ranges from Mount Eagle (355 m/1,165 ft) in the north to a flat southern coastline of mainly lagoons, with dangerous reefs lying along both northern and southern coastlines. Of the 49 sq km/19 sq mi area of St John, 38 sq km/15 sq mi are preserved as Virgin Islands National Park.

Economy The land is generally unsuitable for agricultural purposes, although cattle are raised on St Croix. As well as tourism and oil refining industries include alumina mining. Sorghum is grown for animal feed, and jewellery, watches, rum, gin, perfumery, and textiles are produced. There is an inter-island boat service. Jet flights operate daily between New York City and St Croix, and St Thomas has a local airport.

Government The governor and lieutenant-governor of the US Virgin Islands are elected; the islands' first governor, Melvin Herbert Evans, was elected in 1971. The heads of the executive departments are appointed by the governor. There is a 15-member Senate. The Federal District Court of the Virgin Islands and the municipal courts administer the judicial system, the district judge and attorney being appointed by the President of the USA with the Senate's approval.

Education The College of the Virgin Islands on St Thomas has an extension on St Croix. A Virgin Islands Council of the Arts was formed in 1965, and is subordinate to the US National Foundation of the Arts and Humanities, likewise sponsoring pursuit of theatre and provision for training in the arts and crafts.

History Denmark occupied St Thomas island in 1666, colonised it in 1671 and began exporting sugar, indigo, and cotton. From 1673 the Danes imported Africans via the slave trade so that by 1742 there were 1,900 slaves on St Croix alone. British occupation, which lasted briefly from 1801 to 1802, was followed by the abolition of the Dutch West Indies slave trade in 1803; African slaves were set free in 1948 by the Danes. After another period of British occupation from 1807–15, Denmark returned to hold the islands until 1917, when they were sold to the USA. The US Naval Department was responsible for administration until 1931, when that power was transferred to the Department of the Interior. By 1932 all Virgin Islanders were granted US citizenship. Organic Acts of 1936 and 1954 provided the islands with centralised government, executive, legislative, and judicial branches, and a unicameral assembly to be elected by popular vote.