1
Education and health Literacy: n.a. Health: physicians (2006) 167 (1 per 681 persons); hospital beds (2005) 320 6 (1 per 350 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (2014) 6.8; undernourished population, n.a. T he joint venture HOVENSA LLC, owners of a defunct oil refin- ery on St. Croix, filed for bankruptcy on Sept. 15, 2015. The facil- ity was once one of the territory’s largest employers and biggest sources of revenue. The previous day the U.S. Virgin Islands govern- ment had filed a $1.5 billion lawsuit against one of the owners, Hess Corp., charging that it had illegally shut down the refinery in 2012 and had violated the Criminally Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. In October, at Hess’s request, the case was transferred from a Virgin Islands court to a U.S. district court. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (2014): 10.5 (world avg. 19.5). Death rate per 1,000 population (2014): 8.2 (world avg. 8.1). Life expectancy at birth (2014): male 76.7 years; female 83.0 years. (2012): fossil fuels 100%; coal (metric tons; 2002) none (290,000); crude petroleum (barrels; 2010) 6,370,000 (31,000,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 2002) 18,801,000 (1,588,000); natural gas, none (none). Average household size (2004): 2.5. Population economically active (2012): total 50,577; participation rates: over age 15, male, n.a.; female, n.a.; unemployed (2014) 13.0%, of which youth (ages 15–24) n.a. Gross territorial product (at current market prices; 2013): U.S.$3,792,- 000,000 (U.S.$36,205 per capita). Land use as % of total land area (2011): in temporary crops or left fal- low 2.9%, in permanent crops 2.9%, in pasture 5.7%, forest area 57.4%. Virgin Islands (U.S.) Official name: United States Virgin Islands. Political status: organized unincorporated territory of the United States with one legislative house (Legislature [15]). Head of state: President of the United States Barack Obama. Head of government: Governor Kenneth E. Mapp. Capital: Charlotte Amalie. Official language: English. Official religion: none. Monetary unit: U.S. dollar (U.S.$); valuation (Sept. 1, 2015) 1 U.S.$ = £0.65. National economy Budget (proposed; 2015): Revenue U.S.$765,300,000 (tax revenue 77.0%). Expenditures: U.S.$850,500,000 (education 19.5%, debt service 17.3%, health and human services 16.0%). Public debt (2005–06): U.S.$1,150,000,000. Production. Agriculture, forestry, fishing (value of sales in U.S.$’000; 2012): indigenous cattle meat 550, indigenous pig meat 109, indigenous chicken meat 78; livestock (number of live animals; 2013) 8,100 cattle, 4,100 goats, 3,250 sheep, 2,650 pigs, 40,000 chickens; roundwood, n.a.; fisheries production 525 metric tons (from aquaculture 2%). Mining and quarrying: sand and crushed stone for local use. Manufacturing (U.S.$’000 4 ; 2002): beverages and tobacco products 44,766; stone, clay, and glass products 32,939; computer and electronic products 22,875; chemicals and chemical products 16,989. Energy production (consump- tion): electricity (kW-hr; 2011) 951,000,000 (951,000,000), by source Foreign trade Imports (2012): U.S.$2,966,700,000 (crude petroleum 22.3%, other [sig- nificantly manufactured goods] 77.7%). Major import sources: U.S. 58.0%; other countries (mostly Venezuela) 42.0%. Exports (2012): U.S.$2,263,200,000 (refined petroleum products 41.2%, unspecified [significantly rum and watches] 58.8%). Major export desti- nations: U.S. 60.9%; other countries 39.1%. Transport and communications Transport. Railroads: none. Roads (2008): total length 783 mi, 1,260 km (paved [2007] 95%). Vehicles (total registered vehicles; 2008–09): 75,951. Cruise ships (2012): passenger arrivals 1,904,468. Military Total active duty personnel (2014): no domestic military force is main- tained; the United States is responsible for defense and external security. 1 May be administered by officials assigned by the governor. 2 Census-designated place. 3 Birthplace (2004): U.S. Virgin Islands 45.4%; other Caribbean 34.9%, of which Saint Kitts and Nevis 6.9%, Dominica 5.9%, Antigua and Barbuda 4.8%; mainland U.S. 11.3%; Puerto Rico 5.4%; other 3.0%. 4 Figures are for value of sales. 5 Subscribers. 6 Main hospitals on St. Thomas and St. Croix only. Internet resources for further information: • Pacific Web www.pacificweb.org • Bureau of Economic Research www.usviber.org Demography Population (2015): 104,000. Density (2015): persons per sq mi 766.0, persons per sq km 295.1. Urban-rural (2014): urban 95.3%; rural 4.7%. Sex distribution (2014): male 46.60%; female 53.40%. Age breakdown (2014): under 15, 17.9%; 15–29, 14.7%; 30–44, 18.7%; 45–59, 23.3%; 60–74, 18.8%; 75–84, 5.2%; 85 and over, 1.4%. Population projection: (2020) 100,200; (2030) 90,900. Ethnic composition (2006) 3 : non-Hispanic black 70.6%; non-Hispanic white 11.3%; Hispanic black 5.6%; Hispanic white 1.7%; other Hispanic 6.6%; Asian 1.1%; other 3.1%. Religious affiliation (2000): Christian 96.3%, of which Protestant 51.0% (including Anglican 13.0%), Roman Catholic 27.5%, independent Christian 12.2%; nonreligious 2.2%; other/unknown 1.5%. Major towns (2010): Charlotte Amalie 10,354 (urban agglomeration [2000] 18,914); Christiansted 2,433; Frederiksted 859. Area and population area population 2010 Islands 1 Principal towns sq mi sq km census St. Croix Christiansted 84 218 50,601 St. John Cruz Bay 2 20 52 4,170 St. Thomas Charlotte Amalie 32 83 51,634 TOTAL 136 353 106,405 Communications units units number per 1,000 number per 1,000 Medium date in ’000s persons Medium date in ’000s persons Telephones Cellular 2005 80 5 713 5 Landline 2014 76 713 Internet users 2009 30 274 Broadband 2014 9.1 5 8.5 5 © 2016 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. World Data ENCYCLOPÆDIA Britannica

Virgin Islands (U.S.) · ery on St. Croix, filed for bankruptcy on Sept. 15, 2015. The facil-ity was once one of the territory’s largest employers and biggest sources of revenue

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Page 1: Virgin Islands (U.S.) · ery on St. Croix, filed for bankruptcy on Sept. 15, 2015. The facil-ity was once one of the territory’s largest employers and biggest sources of revenue

Education and healthLiteracy: n.a.Health: physicians (2006) 167 (1 per 681 persons); hospital beds (2005)

3206 (1 per 350 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births(2014) 6.8; undernourished population, n.a.

The joint venture HOVENSA LLC, owners of a defunct oil refin-ery on St. Croix, filed for bankruptcy on Sept. 15, 2015. The facil-ity was once one of the territory’s largest employers and biggest

sources of revenue. The previous day the U.S. Virgin Islands govern-ment had filed a $1.5 billion lawsuit against one of the owners, HessCorp., charging that it had illegally shut down the refinery in 2012 andhad violated the Criminally Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.In October, at Hess’s request, the case was transferred from a VirginIslands court to a U.S. district court.

Vital statisticsBirth rate per 1,000 population (2014): 10.5 (world avg. 19.5).Death rate per 1,000 population (2014): 8.2 (world avg. 8.1).Life expectancy at birth (2014): male 76.7 years; female 83.0 years.

(2012): fossil fuels 100%; coal (metric tons; 2002) none (290,000); crudepetroleum (barrels; 2010) 6,370,000 (31,000,000); petroleum products(metric tons; 2002) 18,801,000 (1,588,000); natural gas, none (none).

Average household size (2004): 2.5.Population economically active (2012): total 50,577; participation rates:

over age 15, male, n.a.; female, n.a.; unemployed (2014) 13.0%, ofwhich youth (ages 15–24) n.a.

Gross territorial product (at current market prices; 2013): U.S.$3,792,-000,000 (U.S.$36,205 per capita).

Land use as % of total land area (2011): in temporary crops or left fal-low 2.9%, in permanent crops 2.9%, in pasture 5.7%, forest area57.4%.

Virgin Islands (U.S.)Official name: United States Virgin Islands.Political status: organized unincorporated territory of

the United States with one legislative house(Legislature [15]).

Head of state: President of the United States BarackObama.

Head of government: Governor Kenneth E. Mapp.Capital: Charlotte Amalie.Official language: English.Official religion: none.Monetary unit: U.S. dollar (U.S.$); valuation (Sept. 1, 2015) 1 U.S.$ = £0.65.

National economyBudget (proposed; 2015): Revenue U.S.$765,300,000 (tax revenue

77.0%). Expenditures: U.S.$850,500,000 (education 19.5%, debt service17.3%, health and human services 16.0%).

Public debt (2005–06): U.S.$1,150,000,000.Production. Agriculture, forestry, fishing (value of sales in U.S.$’000;

2012): indigenous cattle meat 550, indigenous pig meat 109, indigenouschicken meat 78; livestock (number of live animals; 2013) 8,100 cattle,4,100 goats, 3,250 sheep, 2,650 pigs, 40,000 chickens; roundwood, n.a.;fisheries production 525 metric tons (from aquaculture 2%). Miningand quarrying: sand and crushed stone for local use. Manufacturing(U.S.$’0004; 2002): beverages and tobacco products 44,766; stone, clay,and glass products 32,939; computer and electronic products 22,875;chemicals and chemical products 16,989. Energy production (consump-tion): electricity (kW-hr; 2011) 951,000,000 (951,000,000), by source

Foreign tradeImports (2012): U.S.$2,966,700,000 (crude petroleum 22.3%, other [sig-

nificantly manufactured goods] 77.7%). Major import sources: U.S.58.0%; other countries (mostly Venezuela) 42.0%.

Exports (2012): U.S.$2,263,200,000 (refined petroleum products 41.2%,unspecified [significantly rum and watches] 58.8%). Major export desti-nations: U.S. 60.9%; other countries 39.1%.

Transport and communicationsTransport. Railroads: none. Roads (2008): total length 783 mi, 1,260 km

(paved [2007] 95%). Vehicles (total registered vehicles; 2008–09): 75,951.Cruise ships (2012): passenger arrivals 1,904,468.

MilitaryTotal active duty personnel (2014): no domestic military force is main-

tained; the United States is responsible for defense and externalsecurity.

1May be administered by officials assigned by the governor. 2Census-designated place.3Birthplace (2004): U.S. Virgin Islands 45.4%; other Caribbean 34.9%, of which SaintKitts and Nevis 6.9%, Dominica 5.9%, Antigua and Barbuda 4.8%; mainland U.S.11.3%; Puerto Rico 5.4%; other 3.0%. 4Figures are for value of sales. 5Subscribers.6Main hospitals on St. Thomas and St. Croix only.

Internet resources for further information:• Pacific Web www.pacificweb.org• Bureau of Economic Research www.usviber.org

DemographyPopulation (2015): 104,000.Density (2015): persons per sq mi 766.0, persons per sq km 295.1.Urban-rural (2014): urban 95.3%; rural 4.7%.Sex distribution (2014): male 46.60%; female 53.40%.Age breakdown (2014): under 15, 17.9%; 15–29, 14.7%; 30–44, 18.7%;

45–59, 23.3%; 60–74, 18.8%; 75–84, 5.2%; 85 and over, 1.4%.Population projection: (2020) 100,200; (2030) 90,900.Ethnic composition (2006)3: non-Hispanic black 70.6%; non-Hispanic

white 11.3%; Hispanic black 5.6%; Hispanic white 1.7%; otherHispanic 6.6%; Asian 1.1%; other 3.1%.

Religious affiliation (2000): Christian 96.3%, of which Protestant 51.0%(including Anglican 13.0%), Roman Catholic 27.5%, independentChristian 12.2%; nonreligious 2.2%; other/unknown 1.5%.

Major towns (2010): Charlotte Amalie 10,354 (urban agglomeration[2000] 18,914); Christiansted 2,433; Frederiksted 859.

Area and populationarea population

2010Islands1 Principal towns sq mi sq km census

St. Croix Christiansted 84 218 50,601St. John Cruz Bay2 20 52 4,170St. Thomas Charlotte Amalie 32 83 51,634TOTAL 136 353 106,405

Communications units unitsnumber per 1,000 number per 1,000

Medium date in ’000s persons Medium date in ’000s persons

TelephonesCellular 2005 805 7135

Landline 2014 76 713

Internet users 2009 30 274Broadband 2014 9.15 8.55

© 2016 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

World DataE N C Y C L O P Æ D I A

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