Country name:
conventional long form: Virgin Islands of the United States
conventional short form: Virgin Islands
former: Danish West Indies

Data code: VQ

Dependency status: organized, unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type: NA

Capital: Charlotte Amalie

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas

National holiday: Transfer Day, 31 March (1917) (from Denmark to US)

Constitution: Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Legal system: based on US laws

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; note—indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:
chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999) and Lieutenant Governor Gerald LUZ James II (since 5 January 1999)
cabinet: NA
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2002)
election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL elected governor; percent of vote—Dr. Charles W. TURNBULL (Democrat) 58.9%, former Governor Roy L. SCHNEIDER (ICM) 41.1%

Legislative branch: unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—Democratic Party 6, independents 5, Republican Party 2, Independent Citizens Movement 2
note: the Virgin Islands elect one representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000); results—Dr. Donna GREEN (Democrat) 80%, Victor O. FRAZER (ICM) 20%

Judicial branch: US District Court (judges are appointed by the president); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [James O'BRYON Jr.]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Virdin C. BROWN]; Republican Party [Charlotte-Poole DAVIS]

International organization participation: ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)

Flag description: white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel

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