Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands (original) (raw)

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 with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of 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 George W. Bush of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Dick Cheney (since 20 January 2001)
_head of government:_Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999) and Lieutenant Governor Gererd 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 on the same ticket 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, Republican Party 2, ICM 2, independents 5
_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'BRYAN, Jr.]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Virdin C. BROWN]; Republican Party [James OLIVER]

**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

See also : U.S. Virgin Islands