U.S. Virgin Islands Country & Tourist Information

Location
Caribbean, Leeward Islands.

Area
347.1 sq km (134 sq miles).

Population
108,708 (2005 estimate).

Population Density
313.18 per sq km.

Capital
Charlotte Amalie (St Thomas).
Population: 18,914 (2005).

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.

Language
English is the official language. Spanish and Creole are also widely spoken.

Religion
Christian, mainly Protestant.

Time
GMT - 4.

Electricity
120 volts AC, 60Hz.

Head of Government
Governor John de Jongh since 2006.

Head of State
President George W Bush since 2001.

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.

Telephone
Country code: 1 340. The USA (including most toll free numbers) can be dialed directly from the islands. Efficient overseas cable and telephone services are in operation.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone operators.

Internet
Internet cafes are available.

Media


Post
Airmail to Europe takes up to one week. The postage is the same as in the USA. First-class post to the USA automatically travels by air through the US postal service.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700, Sat 0900-1200.

Press
• Daily newspapers include St Croix Avis and Virgin Islands Daily News.

Radio
• WSTA AM 1340 has been on air since the 1950s.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
6 Jan Three Kings' Day. 
19 Jan Martin Luther King Day. 
16 Feb Presidents' Day.
9 Apr Holy Thursday. 
10 Apr Good Friday. 
13 Apr Easter Monday. 
25 May Memorial Day.
3 Jul Emancipation Day.
4 Jul Independence Day.
28 Jul* Hurricane Supplication Day.
7 Sep Labor Day.
12 Oct Columbus Day.
Oct* Virgin Islands Thanksgiving Day.
1 Nov D Hamilton Jackson Day/Liberty Day.
11 Nov Veterans' Day.
26 Nov US Thanksgiving Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
6 Jan Three Kings' Day. 
18 Jan Martin Luther King Day. 
15 Feb Presidents' Day.
8 Apr Holy Thursday. 
2 Apr Good Friday. 
5 Apr Easter Monday. 
31 May Memorial Day.
3 Jul Emancipation Day.
4 Jul Independence Day.
28 Jul* Hurricane Supplication Day.
6 Sep Labor Day.
11 Oct Columbus Day.
Oct* Virgin Islands Thanksgiving Day.
1 Nov D Hamilton Jackson Day/Liberty Day.
11 Nov Veterans' Day.
27 Nov US Thanksgiving Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

* Date to be confirmed.

Contact Information:

Diplomatic Representation
The US Virgin Islands are a United States External Territory represented abroad by US embassies. For addresses, see the USA section.

US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism in the UK
c/o Destination Marketing, Power Road Studios, 114 Power Road, London W4 5PY, UK
Tel: (020) 8994 0978.
Website: www.usvitourism.vi

US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism in the USA
One Penn Plaza, Suite 3525, New York, NY 10119, USA
Tel: (212) 502 5300.
Website: www.usvitourism.vi

Caribbean Tourism Organization in the UK
22 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1BP, UK
Tel: (020) 8948 0057.
Website: www.doitcaribbean.com


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