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Virgin Islands Government

What is the capital of Virgin Islands?

Country Name Virgin Islands
Full Country Name United States Virgin Islands
Abbreviation USVI
Former Name Danish West Indies
Etymology- history of name the myriad islets, cays, and rocks surrounding the major islands reminded Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers (Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes), which over time shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes)
Government Type presidential democracy; a self-governing territory of the US
Capital Name Charlotte Amalie
Capital - geographic coordinate 18 21 N, 64 56 W
Capital Time Difference UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence none (territory of the US)
National Holiday Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 31 March (1917)
Constitution 22 July 1954 - the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands functions as a constitution for this territory of the US; revised 1962, 2000
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

Virgin Islands Capital City Map

Source: Google Maps

Virgin Islands Government and Politics

Who is the president of Virgin Islands?

Executive Branch: chief of state: President Joseph R BIDEN Jr. (since 20 January 2021); Vice President Kamala HARRIS (since 20 January 2021); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Joseph R Biden (since 20 January 2021); Vice President Kamala HARRIS (since 20 January 2021)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, approved by the Senate

elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by the Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 8 November 2020

election results: Joseph R BIDEN (Democrat) elected president; electoral vote - 306, Donald J. TRUMP (Republican Party) 232,
Citizenship Criteria: see United States
Legal System: US common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; note - island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Legislative Branch: description: unicameral Legislature of the Virgin Islands (15 seats; senators directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve 2-year terms)

the Virgin Islands directly elects 1 delegate to the US House of Representatives by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term

elections: Legislature of the Virgin Islands last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)

US House of Representatives last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)

election results: Legislature of the Virgin Islands - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 13, independents 2; composition - men 11, women 4, percent of women 26.7%

delegate to US House of Representatives - seat by party - Democratic Party 1; composition - 1 woman

note: the Virgin Islands to the US House of Representatives can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote
Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands (consists of the chief justice and 2 associate justices); note - court established by US Congress in 2004 and assumed appellate jurisdiction in 2007

judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Virgin Islands Senate; justices initially serve renewable 10-year terms; chief justice elected to position by peers for a 3-year term

subordinate courts: Superior Court (Territorial Court renamed in 2004); US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (has appellate jurisdiction over the District Court of the Virgin Islands; it is a territorial court and is not associated with a US federal judicial district); District Court of the Virgin Islands
Regions or States: none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas
Political Parties and Leaders: Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]

Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]

Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]
International Organization Participation: AOSIS (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs)
Diplomatic Representation in the US: none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic Representation from US: none (territory of the US)
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