Page:The World Factbook (1990).djvu/350

Virgin Islands (continued) Senate—last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held NA); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(15 total) number of seats by party NA;

US House of Representatives—last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held 6 November 1990); results—the Virgin Islands elects one nonvoting representative

Diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US)

Flag: white with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows an eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel

Economy

Overview: Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The manufacturing sector consists of textile, electronics, pharmaceutical, and watch assembly plants. The agricultural sector is small with most food imported. International business and financial services are a small but growing component of the economy. The world's largest petroleum refinery is at St. Croix.

GDP: $1.03 billion, per capita $9,030; real growth rate NA% (1985)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Unemployment rate: 3.5% (1987)

Budget: revenues $315 million; expenditures $322 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY88)

Exports: $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 1985); commodities—refined petroleum products; partners—US, Puerto Rico

Imports: $3.7 billion (c.i.f., 1985); commodities—crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials; partners—US, Puerto Rico

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate 12%

Electricity: 341,000 kW capacity; 507 million kWh produced, 4,650 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: tourism, government service, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics

Agriculture: truck gardens, food crops (small scale), fruit, sorghum, Senepol cattle

Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $33.5 million

Currency: US currency is used

Exchange rates: US currency is used

Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September

Communications

Highways: 856 km total

Ports: St. Croix—Christiansted, Frederiksted; St. Thomas—Long Bay, Crown Bay, Red Hook; St. John—Cruz Bay

Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m; international airports on St. Thomas and St. Croix

Telecommunications: 44,280 telephones; stations—4 AM, 6 FM, 3 TV; modern system using fiber optic cable, submarine cable, microwave radio, and satellite facilities; 90,000 radio receivers; 56,000 television sets

Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of the US  Wake Island (territory of the US)



Geography

Total area: 6.5 km²; land area: 6.5 km²

Comparative area: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 19.3 km

Maritime claims:
 * Contiguous zone: 12 nm
 * Continental shelf: 200 m
 * Extended economic zone: 200 nm
 * Territorial sea: 12 nm

Disputes: claimed by the Republic of the Marshall Islands

Climate: tropical

Terrain: atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim; average elevation less than four meters

Natural resources: none

Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other

Environment: subject to occasional typhoons

Note: strategic location 3,700 km west of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and the Northern Mariana Islands; emergency landing location for transpacific flights

People

Population: 195 (January 1990); no indigenous inhabitants; temporary population consists of 11 US Air Force personnel, 27 US civilians, and 151 Thai contractors

Note: population peaked about 1970 with over 1,600 persons during the Vietnam conflict

Government

Long-form name: none  334