World  > Caribbean  > Virgin Islands - US
For a breakdown of information on Virgin Islands - US - Caribbean, select from the following list(s):
Travel Information >>> Useful addresses General information Passport & visa Money Duty Free Public holidays Health Getting there Accommodation Sports and Activities Social profile Business profile Climate History & government Overview Maps	Regions and Cities >>> Resorts & Excursions - Overview
General Information Area: 347.1 sq km (134 sq miles). Population: 101,809 (1990). Population Density: 293 per sq km. Capital: Charlotte Amalie (St Thomas). Population: 12,331 (1990). 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. Government: US External Territory (Unincorporated). Gained a measure of self-government in 1954. Head of State: President George W Bush since 2001. Head of Government: Governor Charles Wesley Turnbull since 1999. 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. Communications:   Telephone IDD is available. Country code: 1 340. There are no area codes. Outgoing international code: 001. The USA (including most toll-free numbers) can be dialled directly from the islands. Efficient overseas cable and telephone services are in operation. Mobile telephone GSM 1900 network. Operators include BlueSky Communications (website: www.bluskypcs.com). Fax Services are available. Internet ISPs include VIAccess (website: www.viaccess.net). Internet cafes exist on St Thomas. 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 The daily newspapers are Virgin Islands Daily News and St Croix Avis. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 15.19 12.10 6.195 5.975 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 13.79 9.455 6.130 5.995 From www.columbusguides.com, Copyright © 2004 Highbury Columbus Travel Publishing Terms and Conditions apply.