Virgin Islands

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Image:Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg Image:Flag of the British Virgin Islands.svg Image:USBVI-map-CIA.jpg The Virgin Islands are an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. The islands are divided into two parts, one of which, the British Virgin Islands to the east and north, is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. The other, the U.S. Virgin Islands to the west and south, is an unincorporated and organized United States territory.

Christopher Columbus named the islands Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes (shortened to Las Vírgenes), after Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virginal handmaidens. They were inhabited by Carib Indians, whom were wiped out when Spain took over the islands in 1555 for the Holy Roman Empire under the rule of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor .

The islands were later peopled by Africans who were enslaved on sugar plantations, and on at least one indigo plantation. The sugar plantations are now gone, but the descendents of the slaves are still there, sharing a common West Indian culture with the other English-speaking islands of the Caribbean. Denmark sold the Virgin Islands to the U.S in 1917. The Virgin Islands consists of St.Thomas, St.Croix, St.John and Water Island. St.Thomas is the capital island but St.Croix is much larger. The islands are relatively small and the population is estimated to be around 110,000. Tourism is now the main industry.

On both the British and the U.S. Virgin Islands, vehicles are driven on the left-hand side of the road and the currency is the United States dollar.Citizens of the Virgin Islands are not allowed to vote in the U.S presidential election but are considered citizens of the U.S. The senators are highly overpaid for doing little to nothing and this has caused controversy for years among the residents.

From the CIA World Factbook 2000.

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