GOVERNMENT
Country
name:
conventional long form: Virgin Islands of the United States
conventional short form: Virgin Islands
former: Danish West Indies
Dependency status: organized,
unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Office
of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Government type: NA
National capital: Charlotte
Amalie
Administrative divisions:
none (territory of the US)
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 of the US William Jefferson CLINTON
(since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since
20 January 1993)
head of government: Governor Dr. Roy L. SCHNEIDER (since
5 January 1995) and Lieutenant Governor Kenneth E. MAPP (since
5 January 1995)
cabinet: NA
elections: governor and lieutenant governor of the Virgin
Islands elected by popular vote for four-year terms; election
last held 22 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998)
election results: Dr. Roy L. SCHNEIDER elected governor
of the Virgin Islands; percent of vote—Roy L. SCHNEIDER (ICM)
54.7%, former Lieutenant Governor Derek HODGE 42.6%
Legislative branch: unicameral
Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
two-year terms)
elections: last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 2
November 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats
by party—independents 6, Democrats 5, Republicans 2, Independent
Citizens Movement 2
note: the Virgin Islands elects one representative to the
US House of Representatives; elections last held 19 November 1996
(next to be held NA November 1998); results - Dr. Donna GREEN
(ICM) 51.5%, Victor O. FRAZER (independent) 48.5%
Judicial branch: US District
Court, handles civil matters over $200,000, felonies (persons
15 years of age and over), and federal cases; judges are appointed
by the president; Territorial Court, handles civil matters of
unlimited cash amount; felonies, small claims, juvenile, domestic,
misdemeanors, and traffic cases; judges appointed by the governor
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party, Marilyn STAPLETON; Independent Citizens' Movement
(ICM), Virdin C. BROWN; Republican Party, Charlotte-Poole DAVIS
International organization participation:
ECLAC (associate), 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
