Country name:conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies abbreviation: USVI
Dependency status:organized,unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between theVirgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office ofInsular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Capital:name: Charlotte Amalie
Geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:none(territory of the US); there are no first-order administrativedivisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three islandsat the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas
Independence:none (territory of the US)
National holiday:Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)
Constitution:Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954
Legal system:based on US laws
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch:chiefof state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001);Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor John DeJONGH (since 1 January 2007) cabinet: NA elections:under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories,such as the Virgin Islands, do not vote in elections for US presidentand vice president; however, they may vote in the Democratic andRepublican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenantgovernor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms(eligible for a second term); election last held 7 and 21 November 2006(next to be held November 2010) election results: John DeJONGH elected governor; percent of vote - John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7%
Legislative branch:unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 8, ICM 4, independent 3 note:the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US Houseof Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be heldNovember 2008)
Judicial branch:USDistrict Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuitjurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (judges appointedby the governor for 10-year terms)Political parties and leaders:Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]
International organization participation:IOC, UPU
Flag description:whitefield with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the largeblue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding anolive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with asuperimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel
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