The Virgin Islands are in the Caribbean. The arc of Caribbean islands begins off the coast of Florida and extends all the way to South America. The region includes hundreds of islands and cays.
They are grouped by location into the Greater Antilles which includes the larger islands in the northwestern area (Cuba, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Haiti/Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico); and the Lesser Antilles which includes all the other islands from the Virgin Islands in the northerly Leeward Islands, to the southeastern Windward Islands and the islands just north of Venezuela.
The US Virgin Islands are 40-50 miles east of Puerto Rico; and about 1106 miles southeast Miami, Florida. The Virgin Islands are divided between the United States and the United Kingdom; so you have the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) and the British Virgin Islands (BVI).
U.S. Virgin Islands
The USVI consist of 4 larger islands: St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John and Water Island, and some 50 smaller islets and cays. The total area of the USVI is 133 square miles.
St. Croix is 84 square miles in size, 22 miles long and the widest point is a little more than 6 miles. The terrain on the east end of the island is rocky and arid with short grassy hillsides and many cactus clusters. The west end of the island is lush with large fruit trees and ferns gracing the mountains. In the middle of the island are miles of beautiful beaches, rolling pasture lands and beautiful land. St. Croix’s highest peak, Mount Eagle, is 1,088 feet high. The land slopes to flat lands on the southern side of the island. There are two main towns Frederiksted and Christiansted. There are a few natural harbors and protected bays. St. Croix is about 40 miles away from St. Thomas.
St. Thomas is known for having one long ridge of hills running east and west through the center of the island with smaller ridges branching off from the center. St. Thomas, thirteen miles long by four miles wide, encompasses a little over 31 square miles. The highest point is Crown Mountain at 1,556 feet. St. Thomas has a beautiful natural harbor and many protected bays. There are relatively no flat areas on St. Thomas.
St. John is located about 4 miles from St. Thomas’ east end. It has hills and valleys and relatively few flat areas. St. John encompasses 20 square miles of beautiful scenery. The island is 7 miles long by 3 miles wide. The highest point is Bordeaux Mountain at 1,277 feet. The island’s coastal areas have many fine protected bays. A natural harbor is found in Coral Bay, however Cruz Bay is the main town and ‘harbor’. More than two thirds of the island is protected by the National Park Service.
Water Island is the smallest populated island of USVI group. It is only 491.5 acres in size. Water Island is 2½ miles long and ½ to 1 mile wide. The island has an irregular shape with many bays and peninsulas. The highest Point is 300 feet above sea level. It is located just half a mile from St. Thomas’ south side.
Population-The 2020 census reports a population of 87,146: 42,261 on St. Thomas, 41,004 on St. Croix and 3,881 on St. John which is an 18% decrease from the 106,405 individuals, reported by the 2010 census. The population of the USVI comprises various groups of people from many places. Currently the largest of Virgin Islanders born outside the territory were born in countries and other independent territories of the Caribbean, especially the eastern Caribbean Islands.
Child Population- Data from the 2020 census report reflecting the population count disaggregated by age had not been released at the time. Detailed demographic data, including a count of children, were not available, however, according to early 2020 U.S. census data, the USVI population has declined significantly over the past decade.
According to Kids Count 2019 data book, the child population in the Virgin Islands diminished significantly since the year 2000, decreasing by more than 14,500 children (or 42%). In 2015 children represented 20 % of the population.
In 2010 the U.S. Census reported the USVI population as 106,405, ten years later Census data reports 87,146 an 18% decrease. The 2021 Kids Count Data Book discuss the overall population decline aligns with those seen in public and private school student enrollment. Although such declines are not a recent phenomenon, the dual category-5 hurricanes in 2017 accelerated migration trends.
On St. Thomas, the 2020 Census population count of 42,261 was an 18% decrease from the 2010 population (51,634), following a 1% increase from the 2000 population (51,181). º From 2000 to 2020, the population decreased by 17.4%. •
On St. Croix, the 2020 Census population count of 41,004 was a 19% decrease from the 2010 population (50,601), following a 5% drop from the 2000 population (53,234). º From 2000 to 2020, the population decreased by 23%.
On St. John, the 2020 Census population count of 3,881 was a 7% decrease from the 2010 population (4,170), following a 1% drop from the 2000 population (4,197). º From 2000 to 2020, the population decreased by 7.5%.
Government-The organization of the Government of the Virgin Islands rests upon the Revised Organic Act of 1954 in which the United States Congress declared the U.S. Virgin Islands to be an unincorporated territory of the United States. The key documents that govern the United States Virgin Islands are the United States Constitution and the Revised Organic Act of 1954.
The Government of the United States Virgin Islands consists of three co-equal branches of Government, the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches.
Executive Branch. The executive power of the Virgin Islands is vested in the Governor who, together with the Lieutenant Governor, is elected by qualified Virgin Islands voters for a four-year term. The Governor is limited to two consecutive terms.
Legislative Branch. The legislative power of the Virgin Islands is vested in a unicameral legislature consisting of 15 senators: seven from St. Croix, seven from St. Thomas, and one Senator-at-Large who must be a resident of St. John. Senatorial elections are held every two years.
Judicial Branch. The judicial power of the Virgin Islands is vested in District Court of the Virgin Islands, Supreme Court and Superior Court of the Virgin Islands.
- The District Court of the Virgin Islands functions as a United States Federal district court in all causes arising under the Constitution, treaties, and laws of the United States. Appeals from the decisions of the District Court of the Virgin Islands are made to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit which is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- The Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands functions as an appellate court for appeals from the decisions of the Superior Court.
Delegate to Congress. The Virgin Islands are represented in the United States House of Representatives by a non-voting delegate elected by Virgin Islands voters. The delegate serves a two-year term and can sit and vote in committee.
Tax System
The United States Internal Revenue Code applies in the Virgin Islands under a "mirror system" whereby the "Virgin Islands" is substituted for the "United States" wherever necessary to give the Internal Revenue Code the proper effect in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue is responsible for the administration of the internal revenue laws of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The U.S. Virgin Islands tax system includes income, container, gross receipts, excise, highway user's, hotel room, real property, entertainment, franchise, fuel, gift, inheritance, personal use, tire, and stamp taxes. Other fees and license requirements are also in effect for such services as registering vehicles, obtaining driver's licenses, and obtaining business licenses.
Economy- Tourism, trade, and other services are the primary economic activities, accounting for nearly 60% of the Virgin Island's GDP and about half of total civilian employment. The islands host nearly 3 million tourists per year, mostly from visiting cruise ships. The islands are vulnerable to damage from storms. The agriculture sector is small, with most food being imported. Industry and government each account for about one-fifth of GDP. The manufacturing sector consists of rum distilling, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. A refinery on St. Croix, one of the world’s largest, processed 350,000 barrels of crude oil a day until it was shut down in February 2012, after operating for 45 years.
The USVI economy was substantially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic due to its effects on spending by consumers, visitors, businesses, and governments. The U.S. government passed several laws to support and sustain businesses and individuals through the pandemic. Expenditures funded by the various federal grants and transfer payments are reflected in the GDP estimates. However, the full effects of the pandemic cannot be quantified in the GDP statistics for the USVI because the impacts are generally embedded in source data and cannot be separately identified.
Tourism- Tourism, trade, and other services are the primary economic activities, accounting for nearly 60% of the Virgin Island's GDP and about half of total civilian employment. The islands host nearly 3 million tourists per year, mostly from visiting cruise ships. The islands are vulnerable to damage from storms.
Tourism is significant to the economic foundation of the USVI. Despite the lingering effects of hurricanes of 2017, the territory welcomed 1.94 million visitors and received $1.0 billion in tourist related revenue in 2018 (VIBER). The number of jobs in the leisure and hospitality sector, which benefits most directly from tourism declined dramatically following the hurricanes but still accounted for 13 percent of total nonfarm payrolls in the territory during the 12 months ending July 2019.
The U.S. Virgin Islands (U.S.V.I.) is crediting smart, sensible public health policies and tourism management efforts for the admirable performance of the territory’s tourism industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Joseph Boschulte, Commissioner of Tourism, reported that in an environment of deep declines in regional and international tourism arrivals, the U.S. Virgin Islands has weathered the pandemic storm well, despite restricting leisure travel twice last year, from March through June, and then again in August and September.
As the Caribbean Tourism Organization reports a 2020 Caribbean-wide stayover visitor decline of 65.5 percent, down from a record 31.5 million stayover visits to the region in 2019, the U.S. Virgin Islands welcomed 415,749 air arrivals in 2020, representing a 35.1 percent reduction year-over-year. Global tourism declined 73.9 percent over the same period.
STR data reflected a 29.1 percent year-over-year (2020 vs. 2019) decline in the U.S.V.I. hotel occupancy rate, compared to a 52.5 percentage drop in the region. Average daily rates (ADR) in the U.S.V.I. climbed by 43.3 percent compared with a 2.4 percentage increase across the Caribbean.
“We must continue to press on and deliver results for our industry and for every Virgin Islander,“but not at the expense of relaxing adherence to public health and safety protocols such as wearing face masks and maintaining physical distance,” said Boschulte in a press statement.
Buoyed by a major uptick in airlift to the territory, which started over the Thanksgiving period and is being sustained over the ensuing months, Boschulte reported the tourism recovery has been strong with the territory experiencing an encouraging start to 2021, anchored by robust visitor arrivals throughout the current spring break period.
VI Department of Tourism will continue to strengthen relationships with industry partners to help position the territory as a preferred visitor destination in the Caribbean
Medicaid-Medicaid is a government-sponsored program that aids with health coverage to people with low-incomes. Medicare also called Medical Assistance Program (MAP) is designed to make adequate health care available to children and adults who are unable to meet the cost of their medical need. The program is funded by the federal government and administered at the state level. Clients receive assistance paying for things such as doctor visits, custodial care costs, hospital stays, hotel accommodations and airline cost and more.
CHIP is the Children Health Insurance Program that is offered to children under the age of 19 who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but can’t afford regular health insurance. In the VI, CHIP falls under the MAP. All services provided by the CHIP are free including doctor visits and check-ups, vaccinations, hospital care, dental and vision care, lab services, X-rays, prescription and emergency services.
The VI implemented Presumptive Eligibility (PE) as another entrance to enroll into Medicaid/CHIP Programs. The PE process allows uninsured individuals who need medical care to be temporarily determined eligible by certain providers when they appear at the facilities. The PE allow persons to complete a brief PE application and self-attest to all information on that application and be immediately determined eligible if they qualify, and receive services immediately paid for by the Medicaid and CHIP program. VI enrollees do not have the freedom of choice (FOC) to go to any provider that they would like to receive service from as Medicaid employees in the states.
Due to the Medical cap imposed by congress, the territory’s residents are not eligible for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program which provides assistive devices, therapeutic or rehabilitative services beyond acute care to children under the age of 16 with disabilities. The Title V program provides these services on a limited case by case basis.
Education- The U.S. Virgin Islands is committed to providing an effective and efficient education system that prepares every student for continuing education and rewarding employment. The Territory provides public and private education to all residents from pre-school through college with a variety of public and private K-12 institutions and a public university with 43-degree programs.
The public education system sustained significant disruption as a result of hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. Opening for some schools were delayed because they were used as shelters, schools were deemed condemned and the facility that housed the school lunch program was destroyed. Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDE) saw a reduction in enrollment in school year (SY) 2017-2018 for a total enrolment of 10,868.
The reduction in enrollment continued during SY 2018-2019. VIDE reported 10,718 students enrolled in 25 public schools in the VI. Further broken down by level, 5,593 students were enrolled in 16 elementary schools, 1,716 students were enrolled in 5 junior high students and 3,409 students were enrolled in 4 high schools.
The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March of 2020 caused the VIDE to restructure the 2019-2020 school year. VIDE suspended in person teaching and implemented remote learning. Computers and internet devices were distributed to students who needed these items. Priority was given to 12th grade students earning less than a 70% GPA requirement as of March 17, 2020.
The online educational platforms, Edmentum, Acellus and iReady remained accessible through the end of the school year to allow students the opportunity to improve their grades. VIDE consolidated breakfast and lunch distributions in its “No VI Child Goes Hungry Initiative.” In an effort to stop the spread of the virus, all school activities were cancelled including sports activities, prom and graduation. However, a virtual graduation was held for graduating seniors.
After virtually learning for two years, students from grades Four to 12 in the US Virgin Islands returned to in-person learning in 2022. At that time the Covid-19 cases were declining, and restriction were being lifted. The schools were retrofitted to meet all the Covid-19 requirements set by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Virgin Islands Department of Health.
Among the measures implemented at school include plexiglass barriers for the desks, hand-washing stations, automatic soap and hand sanitizer dispensers, temperature check instruments, safety signage and designated isolation rooms.
Students in Pre-K through Grade Three, career and tech education and Special Education returned to classes on September 7, 2021.
University of the Virgin Islands
The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) is a nationally accredited university with campuses on St. Thomas and St. Croix. UVI offers an unmatched, culturally diverse experience for students from throughout the Caribbean, the U.S. mainland and countries around the world. With approximately 2,500 undergraduates and graduate students in 43 degree programs, the University of the Virgin Islands offers associates, bachelors and masters programs.
Students at the University of the Virgin Islands benefit from the school's bilateral ties with other notable universities on the mainland, which include Columbia University, the University of Florida, the University of South Carolina and Boston University.
The University's degree programs are offered through five schools and colleges:
- Business Administration
- Education
- Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Nursing
- Science & Mathematics
Among the measures implemented at school include plexiglass barriers for the desks, hand-washing stations, automatic soap and hand sanitizer dispensers, temperature check instruments, safety signage and designated isolation rooms.
Students in Pre-K through Grade Three, career and tech education and Special Education returned to classes on September 7.
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