Virgin Islands, U.S. Country Profile
Key Facts of Virgin Islands, U.S.
| Government type: | unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches |
| Capital: | Charlotte Amalie |
| Languages: | English 71.6%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 17.2%, French or French Creole 8.6%, other 2.5% (2010 est.) |
Virgin Islands, U.S. Demographic Data
Ethnic Groups in Virgin Islands, U.S.(2020 est.)
Religious Groups in Virgin Islands, U.S. (2010 est.)
Virgin Islands, U.S. Economy Statistics
Economic overview of Virgin Islands, U.S.
high-income, tourism-based American territorial economy; severe COVID-19 economic disruptions; major rum distillery; high public debt; sluggish reopening of large oil refinery; environmentally susceptible to hurricanes; many informal industries
Virgin Islands, U.S. Real GDP (purchasing power parity) in Billion $
Virgin Islands, U.S. Real GDP per capita in $
Virgin Islands, U.S.'s Exports & Imports in billion $
Top 5 Import Partnerin 2019 (62%) of Virgin Islands, U.S.
Top 5 Import Commodities in 2019 of Virgin Islands, U.S.
- refined petroleum ⛽
- crude petroleum 🛢️
- rubber piping 🧤
- jewelry 💍
- beer 🍺
Top 5 Export Partnerin 2019 (47%) of Virgin Islands, U.S.
Top 5 Export Commodities in 2019 of Virgin Islands, U.S.
- refined petroleum ⛽
- jewelry 💍
- recreational boats ⛵
- watches ⌚
- rum 🍹
Geography of Virgin Islands, U.S.
Map of Virgin Islands, U.S.
Land and Water Distrubtion of Virgin Islands, U.S.
Natural Resources of Virgin Islands, U.S.
- pleasant climate 🌞
- beaches foster tourism 🏖️
Climate inVirgin Islands, U.S.
subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November
History of Virgin Islands, U.S. - a Summary
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. Less than two weeks later, Hurricane Maria passed over the island of Saint Croix in the southern Virgin Islands, inflicting considerable damage with heavy winds and flooding rains.