e 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: 352 sq km water: 3 sq km land: 349 sq km

Area - comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 188 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively
low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May
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 474 m

Natural resources: sun, sand, sea, surf

Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 6% other: 79% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe
droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources

Geography - note: 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

People Virgin Islands

Population: 123,498 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.7% (male 16,926; female 16,012) 15-64
years: 64.2% (male 35,801; female 43,443) 65 years and over: 9.1%
(male 4,851; female 6,465) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.04% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 15.85 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 82.53 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.24 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Virgin Islander(s) adjective: Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups: black 80%, white 15%, other 5% note: West Indian (45%
born in th