Virgin Islands

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

18 20 N, 64 50 W

Central America and the Caribbean

1,910 sq km

346 sq km

1,564 sq km

Twice the size of Washington, D.C.

0 km

188 km

12 nm

200 nm

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

Mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little flat land

Crown Mountain 474 m

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Pleasant climate, beaches foster tourism

9.4% (2023 est.)

Arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture: 6.3% (2023 est.)

58.2% (2023 est.)

32.4% (2023 est.)

1 sq km (2012)

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

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

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

103,792 (2025 est.)

49,195

54,597

Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)

Virgin Islander

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.)

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

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

18.7% (male 9,983/female 9,547)

59.8% (male 29,519/female 32,899)

21.5% (2024 est.) (male 10,018/female 12,411)

68 (2025 est.)

30.9 (2025 est.)

37.1 (2025 est.)

2.7 (2025 est.)

43.4 years (2025 est.)

42.1 years

43.9 years

-0.58% (2025 est.)

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

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

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

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

96.2% of total population (2023)

-0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

52,000 CHARLOTTE AMALIE (capital) (2018)

1.06 male(s)/female

1.05 male(s)/female

0.9 male(s)/female

0.81 male(s)/female

0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

8.3 deaths/1,000 live births

6.3 deaths/1,000 live births

80.7 years (2024 est.)

77.6 years

84.1 years

1.95 children born/woman (2025 est.)

0.95 (2025 est.)

Total: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)

Lack of natural freshwater resources; protection of coral reefs; solid waste management; coastal development; increased boating and overfishing

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

9.4% (2023 est.)

Arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture: 6.3% (2023 est.)

58.2% (2023 est.)

32.4% (2023 est.)

96.2% of total population (2023)

-0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

2.378 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

2.378 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

146,500 tons (2024 est.)

None

Virgin Islands

Danish West Indies

VI

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)

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

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

Charlotte Amalie

18 21 N, 64 56 W

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Named in honor of Danish King CHRISTIAN V’s wife, Charlotte AMALIE of Hesse-Kassel, after the colony was established in 1672

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

US common law

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

See United States

18 years of age; universal

President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025)

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

Territorial Cabinet appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate

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)

8 November 2022

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%

November 2026

Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands (consists of the chief justice and 2 associate justices)

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

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

Democratic Party Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM Republican Party

None (territory of the US)

None (territory of the US)

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

None (territory of the US)

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

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

"The Star-Spangled Banner"

Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH

Official anthem, as a US territory

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

$4.9 billion (2022 est.)

$4.965 billion (2021 est.)

$4.789 billion (2020 est.)

-1.3% (2022 est.)

3.7% (2021 est.)

-1.6% (2020 est.)

$46,500 (2022 est.)

$46,900 (2021 est.)

$45,100 (2020 est.)

$4.672 billion (2022 est.)

68.9% (2022 est.)

34.4% (2022 est.)

7.5% (2016 est.)

15% (2016 est.)

97.4% (2022 est.)

-108.3% (2022 est.)

Fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

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

47,200 (2024 est.)

12.1% (2024 est.)

12.4% (2023 est.)

13.1% (2022 est.)

25.3% (2024 est.)

22% (2024 est.)

28.9% (2024 est.)

$1.496 billion (2016 est.)

$1.518 billion (2016 est.)

45.9% of GDP (2014 est.)

$4.549 billion (2022 est.)

$4.069 billion (2021 est.)

$1.62 billion (2020 est.)

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

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

$5.058 billion (2022 est.)

$4.057 billion (2021 est.)

$3.184 billion (2020 est.)

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

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

The US dollar is used

100% (2022 est.)

326,000 kW (2023 est.)

618.819 million kWh (2023 est.)

50.181 million kWh (2023 est.)

97.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

2.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

4 metric tons (2023 est.)

16,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

76,000 (2021 est.)

88 (2022 est.)

79,100 (2022 est.)

92 (2022 est.)

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

.vi

64% (2017 est.)

9,000 (2022 est.)

10 (2022 est.)

2 (2025)

4 (2025)

2 (2023)

General cargo 1, other 1

6 (2024)

0

0

3

3

3

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

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

Defense is the responsibility of the US