Virgin Islands

Central America and Caribbean Charlotte Amalie

Population

103.8K

Area

1,910 km²

GDP

$4.67B

GDP Per Capita

$46,500

Pop. Density

54/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

$United States dollar(USD)

Calling Code

+1340

Timezone

UTC-04:00

Languages

English

Driving Side

right

Demonym

Virgin Islander

Background

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.

Geography17

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates

18 20 N, 64 50 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

total : 1,910 sq km
land: 346 sq km
water: 1,564 sq km

Area - comparative

twice the size of Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Coastline

188 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate

subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November

Terrain

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little flat land

Elevation

highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Natural resources

pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism

Land use

agricultural land

9.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 6.3% (2023 est.)

forest

58.2% (2023 est.)

other

32.4% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

1 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

overall population density throughout the islands is relatively low, but concentrations appear around Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas and Christiansted on St. Croix

Natural hazards

several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Geography - note

important location along the Anegada Passage, a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

People & Society21

Population

total: 103,792 (2025 est.)
male: 49,195
female: 54,597

Nationality

noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups

African-American or African descent 71.4%, White 13.3%, Indigenous 0.4%, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 0.1%, other 6.3%, mixed 7.5% (2020 est.)

Languages

English 71.6%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 17.2%, French or French Creole 8.6%, other 2.5% (2010 est.)

Religions

Protestant 65.5%, Roman Catholic 27.1%, other Christians 2.2%, other 1.5%, none 3.7% (2010 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.7% (male 9,983/female 9,547)
15-64 years: 59.8% (male 29,519/female 32,899)
65 years and over: 21.5% (2024 est.) (male 10,018/female 12,411)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 68 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 30.9 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 37.1 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 2.7 (2025 est.)

Median age

total: 43.4 years (2025 est.)
male: 42.1 years
female: 43.9 years

Population growth rate

-0.58% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

10.88 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

9.43 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

-7.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

overall population density throughout the islands is relatively low, but concentrations appear around Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas and Christiansted on St. Croix

Urbanization

urban population: 96.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: -0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

52,000 CHARLOTTE AMALIE (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 80.7 years (2024 est.)
male: 77.6 years
female: 84.1 years

Total fertility rate

1.95 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.95 (2025 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: total: total: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)

Government19

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Virgin Islands
former: Danish West Indies
abbreviation: VI
etymology: in 1493, the islets, cays, and rocks around the major islands in the chain reminded explorer Christopher COLUMBUS of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers (Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes), which over time was shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes)

Government type

unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches

Dependency status

unincorporated, organized territory of the US, with policy relations with the US federal government under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Capital

name: Charlotte Amalie
geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named in honor of Danish King CHRISTIAN V’s wife, Charlotte AMALIE of Hesse-Kassel, after the colony was established in 1672

Administrative divisions

no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 3 islands are considered second-order: Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas

Legal system

US common law

Constitution

history: 22 July 1954 - the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands functions as a constitution for this US territory

Citizenship

see United States

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state

President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025)

head of government

Governor Albert BRYAN, Jr. (since 7 January 2019)

cabinet

Territorial Cabinet appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate

election/appointment process

president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of electors chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of the Virgin Islands do not vote in elections for US president and vice president, but they can vote in the Democratic and Republican party presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term)

most recent election date

8 November 2022

election results

2022: Albert BRYAN, Jr. reelected governor; percent of vote - Albert BRYAN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 56%, Kurt VIALET (independent) 38%

2018: Albert BRYAN, Jr. elected governor in the second round; percent of vote in first round - Albert BRYAN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 38.1%, Kenneth MAPP (independent) 33.5%, Adlah "Foncie" DONASTORG, Jr. (independent) 16.5%, other 11.9%; percent of vote in second round- Albert BRYAN, Jr. (Democratic Party) 54.5%, Kenneth MAPP (independent) 45.2%, other 0.3%

expected date of next election

November 2026

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands (consists of the chief justice and 2 associate justices)
judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Virgin Islands Senate; justices serve initial 10-year terms and upon reconfirmation, during the extent of good behavior; chief justice elected to position by peers for a 3-year term
subordinate courts: Superior Court (Territorial Court renamed in 2004); US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (has appellate jurisdiction over the District Court of the Virgin Islands; it is a territorial court and is not associated with a US federal judicial district); District Court of the Virgin Islands

Political parties

Democratic Party
Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM
Republican Party

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of the US)

International organization participation

AOSIS (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs)

Independence

none (territory of the US)

National holiday

Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 31 March (1917)

Flag

description: white field with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials "V" and "I"; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in its right talon and three arrows in its left, with a shield of seven red and six white vertical stripes below a blue panel

meaning: white is a symbol of purity, and the letters stand for the Virgin Islands

National anthem(s)

title: "The Star-Spangled Banner"
lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH
history: official anthem, as a US territory

Economy20

Economic overview

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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $4.9 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021: $4.965 billion (2021 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020: $4.789 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022: -1.3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2021: 3.7% (2021 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2020: -1.6% (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022: $46,500 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2021: $46,900 (2021 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2020: $45,100 (2020 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.672 billion (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption

68.9% (2022 est.)

government consumption

34.4% (2022 est.)

investment in fixed capital

7.5% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories

15% (2016 est.)

exports of goods and services

97.4% (2022 est.)

imports of goods and services

-108.3% (2022 est.)

Agricultural products

fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Industries

tourism, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, electronics

Labor force

47,200 (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024: 12.1% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 12.4% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 13.1% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 25.3% (2024 est.)
male: 22% (2024 est.)
female: 28.9% (2024 est.)

Budget

revenues: $1.496 billion (2016 est.)
expenditures: $1.518 billion (2016 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2014: 45.9% of GDP (2014 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022: $4.549 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $4.069 billion (2021 est.)
Exports 2020: $1.62 billion (2020 est.)

Exports - partners

Haiti 14%, Guadeloupe 7%, Malaysia 7%, Martinique 7%, Barbados 7%, British Virgin Islands 5% (2019)

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, jewelry, recreational boats, watches, rum (2019)

Imports

Imports 2022: $5.058 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $4.057 billion (2021 est.)
Imports 2020: $3.184 billion (2020 est.)

Imports - partners

India 18%, Algeria 14%, South Korea 9%, Argentina 9%, Sweden 7%, Brazil 5% (2019)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, crude petroleum, rubber piping, jewelry, beer (2019)

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Energy5

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 326,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 618.819 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 50.181 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 97.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 2.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

exports: 4 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 16,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Communications6

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 76,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 88 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 79,100 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 92 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

about a dozen TV stations, including 1 public TV station; multi-channel cable and satellite TV available; 24 radio stations

Internet country code

.vi

Internet users

percent of population: 64% (2017 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 9,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2022 est.)

Transportation4

Airports

2 (2025)

Heliports

4 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 2 (2023)
by type: general cargo 1, other 1

Ports

total ports

6 (2024)

large

medium

small

very small

ports with oil terminals

key ports

Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Frederiksted, Limetree Bay, Port Alucroix

Military & Security2

Military and security forces

US Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD); US Virgin Islands National Guard (VING)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

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