n has been delayed; China occupies the Paracel Islands
also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in complex dispute with
China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei over the
Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in
the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally
binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants;
Vietnam continues to expand construction of facilities in the
Spratly Islands; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China,
the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine
seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

Illicit drugs:

minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point for
Southeast Asian heroin; government continues to face domestic
opium/heroin/methamphetamine addiction problems despite longstanding
crackdowns

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Virgin Islands

Introduction
Virgin Islands

Background:

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.

Geography
Virgin Islands

Location:

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:

18 20 N, 64 50 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 1,910 sq km
land: 346 sq km
water: 1,564 sq km

Area - comparative:

twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

188 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low
humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season
September to November

Terrain:

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m

Natural resources:

sun, sand, sea, surf

Land use:

arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 2.86%
other: 91.43% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

several hurricane