Simple directory > Regional > US Virgin Islands

Country : US Virgin Islands Official name: Virgin Islands of the United States Head of State: George W Bush Head of government: Governor Charles W Turnbull (since 1998; re-elected 5 Nov 2002) Ruling party: Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands, affiliated to the US Democratic Party Area: 355 square km Population: 122,600 (2004) Capital: Charlotte Amalie (on St Thomas) Official language: English Currency: US dollar (US$) = 100 cents GDP per capita: US$19,000 (2003) GDP real growth: 2.00% (2003) Labour force: 49,000 (2003) Unemployment: 4.90% (2003) Inflation: 2.00% (2003)

Historical profile

1493 The islands were first sighted by Columbus.

1494–1670 The indigenous Carib and Arawak Indian population endured various waves of European invasions and settlement, including African slaves who were used on sugar cane plantations. In 1670, the islands of St John and St Thomas were colonised by Denmark.

1733 St Croix was bought by the Danish from France.

1917 The islands were sold to the US for US$25 million.

1927 US citizenship was granted to the islands' population.

1936 Universal suffrage was provided for by the Organic Act of the Virgin Islands.

1954 An elected 15-member Senate was created.

1970 A governor was elected for the first time, following the 1968 Elective Governor Act.

1973 The US Virgin Islands sent an elected delegate to the US Congress for the first time.

1989 Hurricane Hugo caused a total disruption of the power system

1995 Damage to the power system was incurred when Hurricane Marilyn hit the islands.

1998 Governor Charles W Turnbull was elected. There was less damage from Hurricane George, due to the reconstruction of buildings after the previous hurricanes, to withstand a Category 2 storm.

2002 Charles Turnbull was re-elected governor and the Democrats won a majority in the parliamentary election.

2003 After Hurricane Hugo hit St Croix in 1989, the St Croix Environmental Association undertook a three-year replanting project, in which 14,500 red mangrove and 3,000 black mangrove seedlings were planted. There was an 82 per cent survival rate. In April, Carol Cramer-Burke of the St Croix Environmental Association was awarded an Environmental Quality Award for her work on the project.

2004 The National Science Foundation awarded the University of the Virgin Islands a grant that will amount to US$4.5 million over the next four years to support a programme to stimulate competitive research.

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