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Location
Caribbean, Leeward Islands.
Area
346 sq km (134 sq miles).
Population
104,737 (2013).
Population Density
302.7 per sq km.
Capital
Charlotte Amalie (St Thomas).
Government
US External Territory (Unincorporated). Gained a measure of self-government in 1954. Although US Virgin Islands residents are US citizens, they cannot vote in presidential elections - one elected delegate represents the islands in the US House of Representatives. The 1954 Organic Act created an elected 15-member Senate for the islands. Since 1970, executive authority has been vested in an elected governor who serves a four-year term.
Geography
The islands are situated 64km (40 miles) east of Puerto Rico and comprise some 50 islands covered with lush tropical vegetation. St Thomas is long and narrow, rising abruptly to a ridge with an excellent deep-water harbour. St John is covered partly in bay forests. St Croix consists of 215 sq km (83 sq miles) of rolling ex-plantation land.
Language
English is the official language. Spanish and Creole are also widely spoken.
Religion
Christian, mainly Protestant.
Time
GMT - 4.
Social Conventions
The US Virgin Islanders are overwhelmingly friendly and helpful and the pace of life is very relaxed. Shaking hands is the normal form of greeting and the appropriate time of day (good morning/afternoon/evening) is usually uttered at every encounter. Politeness and courtesy is expected. Dress is informal for most occasions apart from the formal requirements of some hotels.
Electricity
115 volts AC, 60Hz. American-style plugs with two flat pins (with or without round grounding pin) are used.
Head of Government
Governor John de Jongh since 2007.
Head of State
President Barack Obama since 2009.
Recent History
De Jongh unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2002 (receiving the second highest amount of votes out of eight candidates) as an independent candidate. He won the governorship in the 2006 general election after defeating Kenneth Mapp in a run-off election, with over 57% of the vote. De Jongh held the support of the business community, among others, and the expectations of the people for a competently-run public-private partnership in the years to come. De Jongh took the oath of office on 1 January 2007 to become the 7th elected Governor of the US Virgin Islands. Prior to this, he had never served in elective office.
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