U.S. Virgin Islands — map and facts

About United States Virgin Islands

The United States Virgin Islands is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the Caribbean Sea approximately 64 kilometres east of Puerto Rico. The main islands are Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas, with Saint Thomas hosting the capital, Charlotte Amalie. The total population is approximately 100,000 people. As a US territory, residents are American citizens but cannot vote in US presidential elections and have only non-voting representation in Congress. The territory uses the US dollar and falls under American federal law in most respects, though it maintains some degree of local governance through its own legislature and governor. Tourism is the backbone of the economy, drawn by the islands' warm climate, clear waters, and beaches. Saint Thomas is particularly noted as a major cruise ship destination and duty-free shopping hub. Saint Croix has a history in agriculture, particularly sugar, and has some light industry and oil refining.

Geography and Landscape

The United States Virgin Islands consists of approximately 50 islands and cays with a total area of around 347 square kilometres. The terrain of the main islands is hilly and volcanic in origin, with Saint Thomas and Saint John characterised by steep ridges and lush valleys dropping to the coast. Saint Croix, the largest island, has a flatter interior plain suitable for agriculture. The coastline throughout the territory features numerous bays, white sand beaches, and coral reefs. Virgin Islands National Park covers most of Saint John and protects both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The climate is tropical and warm year-round, with an average temperature of around 27°C. Rainfall is higher in the east and varies significantly between the islands. The territory lies within the Atlantic hurricane belt and has experienced several damaging storms in recent decades, including Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.

History

The Virgin Islands were originally inhabited by the Ciboney, Arawak, and Carib peoples. Christopher Columbus encountered the islands on his second voyage in 1493, naming them Las Virgenes after Saint Ursula and her companions. Denmark colonised Saint Thomas in 1672, Saint John in 1718, and purchased Saint Croix from France in 1733. Under Danish rule the islands developed a plantation economy based on sugar, worked by enslaved Africans. Slavery was abolished in 1848 following a revolt on Saint Croix led by the formerly enslaved man known as Moses Fireburn. The United States purchased the islands from Denmark in 1917 for $25 million, motivated primarily by strategic concerns around the Panama Canal. The islands were granted US citizenship in 1927. In 2017, Hurricanes Irma and Maria caused severe destruction, necessitating years of rebuilding and exposing significant vulnerabilities in the territory's infrastructure.