Virgin Islands
From World travel guide
| Flag | |
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| Quick Facts | |
| Capital | Charlotte Amalie |
| Government | NA |
| Currency | US dollar (USD) |
| Area | total: 352 sq km water: 3 sq km land: 349 sq km |
| Population | 123,498 (July 2002 est.) |
| Language | English (official), Spanish, Creole |
| Religion | Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% |
The Virgin Islands is a Caribbean island territory of the United States of America between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico. It was formerly known as the Danish West Indies. Together with the British Virgin Islands, to the northeast, the territory forms the Virgin Islands archipelago. The islands natural resources are sun, sand, sea, and surf.
Contents |
Regions
There are three main islands:
Cities
- Charlotte Amalie - Capital
- Christiansted
- Frederiksted
- Cruz Bay
Other destinations
Understand
Climate
Subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November. Has experienced several hurricanes in recent years as well as frequent and severe droughts and floods.
Terrain
Mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land. There are occasional earthquakes.
- Highest point
- Crown Mountain 474 m
Location
Is in an 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
History
During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.
- National holiday
- Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)
Get in
By plane
If coming from US you will likely land in Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas and then take boats or other small planes to the other islands. If you're coming in on a big plane, try and arrive before nightfall so you can see how close you actually come to sliding right off the edge of the runway into the ocean.
Many flights connect through Puerto Rico, but direct flights from the states are usually cheaper and involve less hassle and flying time. They come from Chicago or New York (on American), Atlanta (on Delta), as well as Charlotte, Miami.
By boat
Ferries run between all three US Virgin Islands, as well as to and from the British Virgin Islands and, on a seasonal basis, Puerto Rico.
Get around
Getting around St Croix for one, is fairly easy. With plenty to explore on the island, car rental agencies are recommended. From the lush rainforest to the quaint Christianstead, driving the island is both scenic and a visual pleasure. Stick to the left-hand side and with a good handful of sharp curves, take your time navigating the roads. Remember that you're on "island time."
All of the Islands have bus service and/or a regulated Taxi service. For example, upon landing at St.Thomas Airport, you could rent a Taxi to take you to Charlotte Amalie, or to Red Hook Landing; either of which have Water Taxi service to Cruz Bay, St. John Island. Upon docking at Cruz Bay you may take a Taxi to your destination or rent a car or Vespa Scooter. Generally car rental rates will be comparable to "the states" (about $500 per week or $80 per day. Take out the insurance if you plan to go four wheeling up the steep mountain roads. You can "bargain" for most things on the Island's, but the Taxi and Bus rates are regulated. Sailboat rentals at Red Hook, will allow you to get around by water. If you plan to sail to the British Virgin Island's you MUST have your passport. Usually not required for American's in St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. Johns.
Talk
English is the official language but you may also find Spanish or Creole being spoken.
Buy
The islands are duty-free and have all sorts of shops, with special emphasis on rums and tanzanite.
Eat
Drink
Sleep
- Hostel Happy, [1]. Offers a sailboat hostel for hosteling and chartering all over the US and British Virgin Islands and the greater Caribbean.
Learn
The University of the Virgin Islands is a small and fairly respectable school on St. Thomas http://www.uvi.edu/ The public high schools have had a history of trouble with accreditation, but recent improvements have gotten them accepted on a probationary basis.
Work
As a US territory, Americans can come here and work with no special visa. Foreigners must go through the rigorous process of obtaining a US work permit.
The economy is quite seasonal, based mostly around cruise ship calls, which taper off from May through September and peak in December and January.
Stay safe
This is the only US possession where driving on the left side (British) of the road is practiced.
Stay healthy
Low-lying buildings usually use the public water, which is fine to drink. Places up in the mountains almost all have independent water supplies, replenished by the rain that falls on their roofs. The safety of this water depends on regular cleaning and treatment of the building's cistern. Given the "island time" work ethic of the average islander, caution should be exercised.
Respect
Islanders follow a charming system of greeting which depends on the time of day. Good morning, good afternoon, good evening and good night are the norm. You may also be greeted with "ya arright?", to which an appropriate response would be "alright" or "okay".
A woman walking alone will most likely not receive the same kind of respect that she would expect at home. This is a simple matter of culture.
Contact
External links
| This article is still a stub and needs your attention. Plunge forward and help it grow! |
Camping at Cinnamon Bay, St. John
http://stjohnusvi.thebeach.vi/cinnamon-bay.html
http://www.stjohntraveler.com/activities-attractions/cinnamon-bay-snorkeling.php
http://www.here.vi/Camping/camping.html
The rest of this article is an import from the CIA World Factbook 2002. It's a starting point for creating a real Wikitravel country article according to our country article template. Please plunge forward and integrate it into the article above.
Geography
- Geographic coordinates
- 18 20 N, 64 50 W
- Area
- total: 352 sq km
water: 3 sq km
land: 349 sq km - Area - comparative
- twice the size of Washington, DC
- Coastline
- 188 km
- Maritime claims
- exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM - Land use
- arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 6%
other: 79% (1998 est.) - Environment - current issues
- lack of natural freshwater resources
People
- Population
- 123,498 (July 2002 est.)
- Nationality
- noun: Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: Virgin Islander - Ethnic groups
- black 80%, white 15%, other 5%
note: West Indian (45% born in the Virgin Islands and 29% born elsewhere in the West Indies) 74%, US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 5%, other 8% - Religions
- Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%
Government
- Country name
- conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands
former: Danish West Indies - Dependency status
- organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
- Constitution
- Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954
- Legal system
- based on US laws
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
- Flag description
- white, 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 one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel
Economy
- Economy - overview
- Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are a small but growing component of the economy. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The islands are subject to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, support construction projects in the private sector, expand tourist facilities, reduce crime, and protect the environment.
- Industries
- tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics
- Agriculture - products
- fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle
- Exports - commodities
- refined petroleum products
- Imports - commodities
- crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
- Currency
- US dollar (USD)
- Currency code
- USD
- Exchange rates
- the US dollar is used
Communications
- Telephones - main lines in use
- 62,000 (1997)
- Telephones - mobile cellular
- 2,000 (1992)
- Telephone system
- general assessment: NA
domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA - Radio broadcast stations
- AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002)
- Radios
- 107,000 (1997)
- Television broadcast stations
- 2 (2002)
- Televisions
- 68,000 (1997)
- Internet country code
- .vi
- Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
- 50 (2000)
- Internet users
- 12,000 (2000)
Transportation
- Highways
- total: 856 km
paved: NA km
note: the only US possession where driving on the left side of the road is practiced (2000)
unpaved: NA km - Merchant marine
- none (2002 est.)
- Airports
- 2 (2001)
- Airports - with paved runways
- total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)
