Virgin Islands

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Virgin Islands

Dependency of the United States of America

Area: 136 sq mi (352 sq km) / World Rank: 191
Location: Northern and Western Hemispheres, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico.
Coordinates: 18°20?N, 64°50?W
Borders: None
Coastline: 117 mi (188 km)
Territorial Seas: 12 NM
Highest Point: Crown Mountain, 1,555 ft (474 m)
Lowest Point: Sea level
Longest River: None of significant length
Natural Hazards: Hurricanes; droughts; floods; earthquakes
Population: 122,211 (July 2001 est.) / World Rank: 182
Capital City: Charlotte Amalie, south-central St. Thomas island
Largest City: Charlotte Amalie, 11,000 (2000 est.)

OVERVIEW

The Virgin Islands (Virgin Islands of the United States) were purchased from Denmark by the U.S.A. in 1917. The islands are organized as an unincorporated territory of the United States under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs of the Department of the Interior. They were formerly known as the Danish West Indies. The British Virgin Islands, located further east, are part of the same island chain (see entry on British Virgin Islands). The U.S. portion of the archipelago consist of 68 islands, about 40 mi (64 km) east of Puerto Rico. They are the westernmost islands of the Lesser Antilles. Most of the Virgin Islands are very small. St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas are the major islands.

Altogether, the land area of the islands is twice that of Washington, DC. Although rarely affected by hurricanes, the islands are subject to frequent severe droughts, floods, earthquakes, and lack of natural fresh water resources. Arable land accounts for 15 percent of the territory, 6 percent is under permanent cultivation, 26 percent is permanent pastureland, and 6 percent is forest and woodland; 47 percent is given to other uses. About three-fourths of St. John is a national park.

MOUNTAINS AND HILLS

While the small coral islands are relatively flat, the larger volcanic islands are steep and hilly. Elevations can exceed 1,000 ft (305 m). The highest point is Crown Mountain, (1,555 ft / 474 m) on St. Thomas.

INLAND WATERWAYS

Due to their small sizes and often steep and hilly terrain, the Virgin Islands lack rivers, streams, or freshwater lakes of any consequence. However, salt ponds and marshes dot the flat coraline islands.

THE COAST, ISLANDS, AND THE OCEAN

The Virgin Islands are situated in the Caribbean Sea near the Anegada Passage, which handles heavy shipping traffic for the Panama Canal. Only three of the islands are important in size: St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John. St. Croix is the largest at 84 sq mi (218 sq km). St. Thomas is the next largest (28 sq mi / 73 sq km) and is the site of one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean. St. John is 20 sq mi (52 sq km) in size. The rest of the Virgin Islands are islets. All of the islands are fringed by coral reefs.

CLIMATE AND VEGETATION

Temperature

The climate is subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, and has little seasonal variation. Temperatures range from 70° to 90°F (21° to 32°C) year-round, with relatively low humidity.

Rainfall

The rainy season is from May to November. Prolonged periods of rain are rare, but the islands are subject to occasional hurricanes.

Grasslands

Some of the slopes and tablelands are covered with grasses and scrub.

Forests and Jungles

Rainforest is found on St. Croix, and covers the upper third of St. John, three-fifths of which is national park. Some 800 species of plants are found in the islands.

HUMAN POPULATION

The islands have no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas constitute second-order units. Almost all of the population lives on St. Croix and St. Thomas, with most of the rest on St. John. In 2001, the population growth rate was 1.06 percent.

NATURAL RESOURCES

The Virgin Island's economy relies primarily on tourism. Its greatest natural resource is the subtropical beauty of its islands, which includes sun, sand, sea, surf, and coral reefs. A substantial portion of the natural surroundings is preserved in the Virgin Islands National Park covering 14,689 acres (5,945 hectares). The Virgin Islands also produce rum and bay rum.