Virgin Islands, US

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Virgin Islands, US Group of 68 islands in the Lesser Antilles, West Indies. They are administered by the USA with the status of an ‘unincorporated territory’. The chief islands are St Croix and St Thomas – the latter includes the capital Charlotte Amalie (2000 pop. 11,044). Spanish from 1553, the islands were Danish until 1917, when the USA bought them for US$25 million, in order to protect the northern approaches to the newly completed Panama Canal. Tourism is the biggest money earner. Industries: oil refining, aluminium, textiles, rum, pharmaceuticals, perfumes. Area: 344sq km (133sq mi). Pop. (2000) 108,612. See West Indies map

http://www.gov.vi

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