Free Online Dictionary
Virgin IslandsGovernment
| CIA World Factbook 2005 Dictionary | Download this dictionary |
Virgin Islands: Government
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Country name: |
conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies |
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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 |
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Government type: |
NA |
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Capital: |
Charlotte Amalie |
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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 |
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National holiday: |
Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) |
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Constitution: |
Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 |
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Legal system: |
based on US laws |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal; note - island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections |
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Executive branch: |
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (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 5 November 2002 (next to be held November 2006) election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL reelected governor; percent of vote - Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (Democrat) 50.5%, John de JONGH 24.4% |
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Legislative branch: |
unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 10, ICM 2, independent 3 note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results - Donna M. CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected |
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Judicial branch: |
US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms) |
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Political parties and leaders: |
Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
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International organization participation: |
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
none (territory of the US) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
none (territory of the US) |
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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 |
More about Virgin Islands:
The World Factbook 2005, by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
| Virgin IslandsGovernment in English
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