The United States Virgin Islands, officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a Caribbean insular territory of the United States. The islands have a tropical climate.
U.S. Virgin Islands shares a Maritime border with British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean.
The U.S. Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas and 50 other surrounding minor islands and cays. The total land area of the territory is .
The primary economic activities on the islands are tourism and services. with some scholars thinking that the islands were inhabited from as early as 1000 BC. The islands became royal Danish colonies in 1754, named the Danish West Indian Islands (). Initially the currency was the Danish West Indian rigsdaler, replaced by the daler in 1849. The islands proved ideal for sugar plantations: sugarcane, produced by enslaved Africans, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. During the 17th and 18th centuries, a sizable Jewish community also began to settle on the islands.
thumb|The Høgensborg estate on Sankt Croix, 1833
In 1733, St. John was the site of one of the first significant slave rebellions in the New World when enslaved Akan–Akwamu from the Gold Coast (modern Ghana) took over the island for six months. The Danish were able to defeat the freedom fighting Africans with help from the French in Martinique. Instead of allowing themselves to be recaptured, more than a dozen of the ringleaders shot themselves before the French forces could capture them. It is estimated that by 1775, slaves outnumbered the Danish settlers by a ratio of 8:1.
thumb|Frederiksstad on Saint Croix, 1848
After another slave rebellion occurred on St. Croix, slavery was abolished by Governor Peter von Scholten on July 3, 1848, now celebrated as Emancipation Day. Over the following years, strict labor laws were implemented several times, leading to the 1878 St. Croix labor riot.
With the plantations no longer as profitable, Danish settlers began to abandon their estates, causing a significant drop in population and the overall economy. Additionally, the 1867 hurricane and earthquake and tsunami further impacted the economy. For the remainder of the period of Danish rule, the islands were not economically viable and significant transfers had to be made from the Danish state budget to the authorities in the islands.
The United States began to take an interest in the islands, and in 1867 a treaty to sell St. Thomas and St. John to the U.S. was agreed but never effected. A number of reforms aimed at reviving the islands' economy were attempted, but none had great success. A second draft treaty to sell the islands to the United States was negotiated in 1902 but was defeated in the upper house of the Danish parliament in a tie vote (because the opposition carried a 97-year-old life member into the chamber). again approached Denmark about buying them. After a few months of negotiations, a selling price of $25 million The sale price was equivalent to $614 million in 2024 US dollars. At the same time, the economics of continued possession weighed heavily on the minds of Danish decision makers, and a consensus in favor of selling emerged in the Danish parliament.
The Treaty of the Danish West Indies was signed on August 4, 1916, with a referendum on the sale held in Denmark in December 1916 in which voters approved the decision to sell. The deal was finalized on January 17, 1917, when the United States and Denmark exchanged their respective treaty ratifications.
American period
The United States took possession of the islands on March 31, 1917, and the territory was renamed the Virgin Islands of the United States. Every year, Transfer Day is recognized as a holiday, to commemorate the acquisition of the islands by the United States. Rear Admiral James H. Oliver was the first American governor of the islands. and from 1935 to 1939 the islands were a part of the United States customs area. The 1936 Organic Act and the 1954 Revised Organic Act established the local government.
In 1966, Hess Oil began construction of an oil refinery. Until February 2012, the Hovensa plant, located on St. Croix, was one of the world's largest petroleum refineries, refining , and contributed about 20% of the territory's GDP. The refinery ceased operation in 2012, and the facility stopped exporting petroleum products in 2014. In the final year of full refinery operations, the value of exported petroleum products was $12.7 billion (2011 fiscal year). Following the acquisition of the 1,500-acre complex by ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC, in 2016, Limetree Bay Ventures, LLC, was formed, and is currently executing a project to refurbish and restart the refinery, with a processing capability of up to .
thumb|The aftermath of [[Hurricane Marilyn on the island of St. Thomas, 1995. In recent decades the U.S. Virgin Islands have been devastated by a series of hurricanes.]]
Hurricane Hugo struck the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1989, causing catastrophic physical and economic damage, particularly on the island of St. Croix. The territory was again struck by Hurricane Marilyn in 1995, killing eight people and causing more than $2 billion in damage. The islands were again struck by hurricanes Bertha, Georges, Lenny, and Omar in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2008, respectively, but damage was not as severe in those storms.
In September 2017, Category 5 Hurricane Irma caused catastrophic damage, particularly to St. John and St. Thomas. Just two weeks later, Category 5 Hurricane Maria ravaged all three islands. Sustained winds at the Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge on St. Croix reached and gusted to . Even stronger winds likely occurred somewhere across the island's west end. The British Virgin Islands and the other two U.S. Virgin Islands, St. John and St. Thomas, were far enough northeast to avoid the worst from Maria, but were still massively impacted, with great destruction everywhere. A wind gust to was reported at St. Thomas. Weather stations on St. Croix recorded of rain from the hurricane, and estimates for St. John and St. Thomas were somewhat less. The hurricane killed two people, both in their homes: one person drowned and another was trapped by a mudslide. A third person had a fatal heart attack during the hurricane. The hurricane caused extensive and severe damage to St. Croix. After both hurricanes, the office of Virgin Islands congresswoman Stacey Plaskett stated that 90% of buildings in the Virgin Islands were damaged or destroyed and 13,000 of those buildings had lost their roofs. The Luis Hospital suffered roof damage and flooding, but remained operational.
In December 2025, the United States Department of Justice sued the Virgin Islands for "unconstitutional" practices regarding gun rights.
Geography
<section begin="ThreeLargestVIsTable" /><!-- This table is transcluded to Geography of the United States Virgin Islands. Changes made here will show up there. -->
{| class="wikitable floatright sortable"
|+
!Three largest<br>islands
!Population
(2020 census)
!Area
!Population density
!Largest town
|-
|St. Thomas
|style="text-align: right;"|
| mi<sup>2</sup> (83 km<sup>2</sup>)
|/mi<sup>2</sup> (509/km<sup>2</sup>)
|Charlotte Amalie
|-
|St. John
|style="text-align: right;"|
| mi<sup>2</sup> (52 km<sup>2</sup>)
|/mi<sup>2</sup> (75/km<sup>2</sup>)
|Cruz Bay
|-
|St. Croix
|style="text-align: right;"|
| mi<sup>2</sup> (215 km<sup>2</sup>)
|/mi<sup>2</sup> (188/km<sup>2</sup>)
|Frederiksted
|}
<section end="ThreeLargestVIsTable" />
thumb|A map of the United States Virgin Islands
The U.S. Virgin Islands are in the Atlantic Ocean, about east of Puerto Rico and immediately west of the British Virgin Islands. They share the Virgin Islands archipelago with the Puerto Rican Virgin Islands of Vieques and Culebra (administered by Puerto Rico), and the British Virgin Islands.
The territory consists of three main islands: St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix, as well as several dozen smaller islands. The main islands have nicknames often used by locals: "Twin City" (St. Croix), "Rock City" (St. Thomas), and "Love City" (St. John). The combined land area of the islands is roughly twice the size of Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Virgin Islands are known for their white sand beaches, including Magens Bay and Trunk Bay, and deepwater harbors along the Anegada Passage, including Charlotte Amalie (the capital) and Christiansted. Like most Caribbean islands, most of the islands of the Virgin Islands, including St. Thomas and St. John, are volcanic in origin and hilly. The highest point is Crown Mountain on St. Thomas at .
Climate
The United States Virgin Islands experience a tropical climate, with little seasonal change throughout the year.
|date = August 2010
Fauna
Politics and government
The U.S. Virgin Islands are an organized, unincorporated United States territory. Although those born on the islands are U.S. citizens, U.S. Virgin Islanders residing in the territory are ineligible to vote for the president of the United States. People born in the U.S. Virgin Islands derive their U.S. citizenship from congressional statute.
The U.S. Democratic and Republican parties allow U.S. Virgin Islands citizens to vote in their presidential primary elections for delegates to the respective national conventions. The main political parties in the U.S. Virgin Islands themselves are the Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands, the Independent Citizens Movement, and the Republican Party of the Virgin Islands. Additional candidates run as independents.
At the national level, the U.S. Virgin Islands elect a delegate to Congress from their at-large . The elected delegate, while able to vote in committee, cannot participate in floor votes. The current House of Representatives delegate is Stacey Plaskett, a Democrat. Like other territories, the U.S. Virgin Islands does not have U.S. senators.
At the territorial level, fifteen senators—seven from the district of St. Croix, seven from the district of St. Thomas and St. John, and one senator at large who must be a resident of St. John—are elected for two-year terms to the unicameral Virgin Islands legislature. There is no limit as to the number of terms they can serve.
The U.S. Virgin Islands have elected a territorial governor every four years since 1970. Previous governors were appointed by the president of the United States.
Legal system
The U.S. Virgin Islands have a Superior Court and Supreme Court. and the 2019 US Virgin Islands Code as passed by the territorial legislature. Because the USVI is not a state and Congress has not determined otherwise, the federal district court is an Article IV tribunal, subject to the authority of the United States secretary of the interior and without lifetime appointment for judges. Elements of Danish law have all been repealed, except for two 1914 laws having to do with customs and ship duties for St. Thomas and St. John.
Attorneys who practice law in the U.S. Virgin Islands must be admitted to the Virgin Islands Bar through either a bar exam or meeting certain requirements for admission on the basis of experience in another reciprocal jurisdiction. The bar exam consists of a standard American Bar Association multistate exam and a local law essay exam. As in the mainland United States, attorneys practice in a variety of settings including private law firms, government, or corporate offices.
Constitution
thumb|right|The Legislature Building in Charlotte Amalie
On October 21, 1976, President Gerald Ford signed authorizing the people of the United States Virgin Islands to organize a government pursuant to a constitution, which would be automatically approved if Congress did not act within 60 days.
In 2004, an act was passed by the legislature of the Virgin Islands calling for a fifth constitutional convention, and 30 delegates to the convention were elected in 2007. On May 26, 2009, the convention adopted a proposed Constitution of the Virgin Islands. However, in June 2009, Governor John de Jongh Jr. rejected the resulting constitutional draft, saying the terms of the document would "violate federal law, fail to defer to federal sovereignty and disregard basic civil rights". A lawsuit filed by members of the convention to force Governor de Jongh to forward the document to President Barack Obama was ultimately successful. President Obama forwarded the proposal to Congress in May 2010, along with a report noting concerns raised by the United States Department of Justice that the powers sought exceeded what would be considered allowable under territorial status and restating the issues noted by Governor de Jongh. A U.S. Congressional resolution disapproving of the proposed constitution and requesting that the Fifth Constitutional Convention reconvene to consider changes to address these issues was signed into law by President Obama on June 30, 2010.
Months later, a federal lawsuit was filed in the federal District Court of the Virgin Islands. The lawsuit claimed that the United States had to provide U.S. Virgin Islanders with the ability to be represented in Congress and vote for U.S. president. It alleged that racial discrimination present in the all-white and segregated U.S. Congress of 1917 was the impetus to deny the right to vote to a majority nonwhite constituency. The case was ultimately dismissed on August 16, 2012.
The Fifth Constitutional Convention of the U.S. Virgin Islands met in October 2012 but was not able to produce a revised constitution before its October 31 deadline.
On November 3, 2020, the U.S. Virgin Islands held a referendum on whether to convene a sixth constitutional convention. The proposal was approved with nearly 72% voting in favor.
Administrative divisions
Administratively, the U.S. Virgin Islands are divided into two districts: the St. Thomas and St. John district, and the St. Croix district. However, the U.S. Census Bureau divides each of the three main islands into three separate statistical entities (which are further divided into 20 subdistricts). Below is the U.S. Census Bureau's division model.
frameless|upright=2.75|center
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto"
|+ Districts and subdistricts of the U.S. Virgin Islands
|-
! Census County equivalents
! St. Thomas
! St. John
! St. Croix
|-
! style="vertical-align: top" | Subdistricts
| style="vertical-align: top" |
- Charlotte Amalie*
- East End
- Northside
- Southside
- Tutu
- Water Island
- West End
| style="vertical-align: top" |
- Central
- Coral Bay
- Cruz Bay
- East End
| style="vertical-align: top" |
- Anna's Hope Village
- Christiansted
- East End
- Frederiksted
- Northcentral
- Northwest
- Sion Farm
- Southcentral
- Southwest
|}
thumb|[[Charlotte Amalie, United States Virgin Islands|Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, the islands' historical capital and largest town in the US Virgin Islands]]
thumb|[[Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands|Christiansted, the largest town on St. Croix]]
thumb|[[Frederiksted, U.S. Virgin Islands|Frederiksted, the second town on St. Croix]]
thumb|[[Anna's Retreat, U.S. Virgin Islands|Anna's Retreat, the second largest town or CDP in the US Virgin Islands]]
thumb|[[Charlotte Amalie West, U.S. Virgin Islands|Charlotte Amalie West, the third largest town or CDP in the US Virgin Islands]]
thumb|[[Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands|Cruz Bay, the fourth largest town or CDP in the US Virgin Islands and largest on St. John]]
Each of the three main islands of the U.S. Virgin Islands is counted as a county equivalent by the U.S. Census Bureau, with the following FIPS codes: 78010 for St. Croix, 78020 for St. John, and 78030 for St. Thomas.
While a Danish possession, the islands were divided into "quarters" (five on St. John and nine on St. Croix), which were further divided into many dozens of "estates". Estate names are still used to write addresses; estates and quarters are used in describing real estate, especially on St. John and St. Croix. More densely populated towns such as Frederiksted and Christiansted on St. Croix were historically referred to as "districts", in contrast to the surrounding plantation land.
All historic towns in the U.S. Virgin Islands meet all the following criteria:
- were established during the Danish colonial period and served as key economic, administrative, and cultural centers. These towns have well-defined historic districts, often featuring colonial-era architecture, narrow streets, and landmarks that reflect their European influence. Many of these towns also have legal designations as historic areas, meaning preservation efforts are in place to maintain their cultural heritage.
- have well established forts or other defensive structures, as they were vital for protecting against pirates, privateers, and enemy naval forces during the colonial period. These structures were built primarily during the Danish and earlier European colonial eras and played a key role in defending the islands' harbors, trade routes, and settlements.
- were also named in honor of a Danish royal family member and their Main Street historically bore a Danish name that corresponds to the title of the royal family member for whom the town was name was named after.
::* Charlotte Amalie - The town’s Main Street is named "Dronningens Gade" (Queen’s Street) in honor of the same queen.
::* Christiansted (Christian Place) - Its Main Street is named King's Street (historically called "Kongens Gade"), reflecting the Danish monarchy, King Christian VI.
::* Frederiksted (Frederik Place) - Its Main Street is named King's Street (historically called "Kongens Gade"), reflecting the Danish monarchy, King Frederik V.
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Historical Towns in the United States Virgin Islands
|-
! Towns !! Subdistrict(s) !! Island (Census County Equivalent)!! District (Administrative County Equivalent)!! Population
|-
| Charlotte Amalie || Charlotte Amalie*|| St. Thomas || St. Thomas - St. John || 8194
|-
| Christiansted || Christiansted || St. Croix || St. Croix || 1770
|-
| Frederiksted || Frederiksted || St. Croix || St. Croix || 528
|}
In contrast to the historical towns of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Census-Designated Places (CDPs) are modern statistical areas defined by the U.S. Census Bureau for demographic purposes. While CDPs in the U.S. Virgin Islands may have commercial hubs and residential developments, they do not necessarily have the same historical or administrative significance as the historical towns. CDPs in the U.S. Virgin Islands often represent suburban residential and commercial areas that grew in population and importance over time but were not formally established as towns during the Danish colonial period.
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Census-Designated Places (CDPs) in the United States Virgin Islands
|-
! CDPs !! Subdistrict(s) !! Island <br>(Census County Equivalent)!! District <br>(Administrative County Equivalent)!! Population
|-
| Anna's Retreat || Tutu, Northside and Southside || St. Thomas || St. Thomas-St. John || 5519
|-
| Charlotte Amalie West || Charlotte Amalie* and Northside || St. Thomas || St. Thomas-St. John || 4404
|-
| Cruz Bay || Cruz Bay and Central || St. John || St. Thomas-St. John || 2772
|-
| Charlotte Amalie East || Charlotte Amalie* and Southside|| St. Thomas || St. Thomas-St. John || 1908
|-
| Frederiksted Southeast || Frederiksted || St. Croix || St. Croix || 1746
|-
| Coral Bay || Coral Bay and Central || St. John || St. Thomas-St. John || 615
|-
| Red Hook || East End || St. Thomas || St. Thomas-St. John || 225
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>The subdistrict of Charlotte Amalie is sometimes referred to as "the City of Charlotte Amalie" or "the City".
Political status
A 1993 referendum on status attracted only 31.4% turnout, and so its results (in favor of the status quo) were considered void. No further status referendums have been scheduled since.
The territory is classified by the United Nations as a non-self-governing territory. In 2016, the United Nations' Special Committee on Decolonization recommended to the UN's General Assembly that this larger body should "actively pursue a public awareness campaign aimed at assisting the people of the United States Virgin Islands with their inalienable right to self-determination and in gaining a better understanding of the options for self-determination".
In March 2023, a poll conducted by Suffolk University among USVI residents revealed 63% supported the territory becoming a U.S. state while 23% opposed. Respondents were also asked about becoming an independent country, which 58% rejected the idea to 19% who agreed.
Governors of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Law enforcement
thumb|USVI police officers in 2012
thumb|USVI police patch
Law enforcement services are provided by the United States Virgin Islands Police Department (USVIPD).
Military
Defense is the responsibility of the United States. Other major sectors are the public sector, some limited agriculture, and small scale manufacturing, most notably rum production.
According to a report on the first half of 2016 by the VI Bureau of Economic Research, the unemployment rate was 11.5 percent. In May 2016 the islands' Bureau of Economic Research indicated that there were 37,613 non-agricultural wage and salary jobs in the islands. This report states that the "leisure and hospitality sector" employed an average of 7,333 people. The retail trade sector, which also serves many tourists, averaged another 5,913 jobs. Other categories which also include some tourism jobs include arts and entertainment (792 jobs), accommodation and food (6,541 jobs), accommodation (3,755 jobs), and food services and drink (2,766 jobs). A large percentage of the 37,613 non-farm workers are employed in dealing with tourists. Serving the local population is also part of the role of these sectors. Since January 2017, the U.S. Virgin Islands government has been unable to raise financing from the bond market at favorable interest rates, and as of June 2019 have not issued any new bonds since then.
Personal income
The median income for a household in the territory was $40,408, and the median income for a family was $52,000 according to the 2020 census. Males had a median income of $41,747 versus $37,052 for females. The per capita income for the territory was $26,897. The average private sector salary was $34,088 and the average public sector salary was $52,572.
Financial challenges
Analysts reviewing the economy often point to the closure of the HOVENSA oil refinery, the islands' largest private sector employer, in early 2012 as having a major negative impact on the territory's economy.
A May 2016 report by Bloomberg expressed concern about the islands' tax-supported debt load. By January 23, 2017, this had increased to $2 billion. That translated to a per capita debt of $19,000, which was higher than the per capita debt in Puerto Rico which was undergoing a severe financial crisis at the time. A Debtwire analyst writing in Forbes indicated that nothing short of a miracle would prevent a financial collapse. The government instituted a new law in March 2017 with new or increased taxes on rum, beer, tobacco products and sugary drinks, as well as internet purchases and timeshare unit owners.
Tourism
<div class="floatright">
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|+Tourist arrivals of 2024 in %
|-
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Tourism, trade, and other service-oriented industries are the primary economic activities, accounting for nearly 60% of the GDP. Approximately 2.5 million tourists per year visit, most arriving on cruise ships. Euromonitor indicates that over 50% of the workforce is employed in some tourism-related work.
Additionally, the islands frequently are a starting point for private yacht charters to the neighboring British Virgin Islands.thumb|RCCL Adventure Of The Seas
Other sectors
The manufacturing sector consists of mainly rum distilling. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and services in the financial sector are a small but growing component of the economy. Most energy is also generated from imported oil, leading to electricity costs four to five times higher than the U.S. mainland. The Virgin Islands were the highest oil consumers per capita in the world in 2007. The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority also uses imported energy to operate its desalination facilities to provide fresh water.
Government
The CIA World Factbook lists the value of federal programs and grants — $241.4 million in 2013, 19.7% of the territory's total revenues — and that "the economy remains relatively diversified. Along with the tourist industry, it appears that rum exports, trade, and services will be major income sources in future years".
Tax and trade
The U.S. Virgin Islands are an independent customs territory from the mainland United States and operate largely as a free port. U.S. citizens thus do not have to clear customs when arriving in the U.S. Virgin Islands, but do when traveling to the mainland. Local residents are not subject to US federal income taxes on U.S. Virgin Islands source income; they pay taxes to the territory equal to what their federal taxes would be if they lived in a state.
In 2014, the territory is considered as a tax haven. In 2018, the EU added it on the European Union tax haven blacklist.
Transport and communications
thumb|left|Cyril E. King Airport on St Thomas
The Henry E. Rohlsen International Airport serves St. Croix and the Cyril E. King Airport serves St. Thomas and St. John.
The U.S. Virgin Islands is the only U.S. jurisdiction that drives on the left. This was inherited from what was then-current practice on the islands at the time of the 1917 transfer of the territory to the United States from Denmark. However, because most cars in the territory are imported from the mainland United States, the cars in the territory are left-hand drive. However, not all U.S. vehicle regulations are in force, and there are vehicles on the road that cannot be sold in the mainland U.S. Additionally, headlights use the U.S. pattern which casts light to the right, tending to blind oncoming drivers. Traffic signals are located on the opposite side of the road than they are in the U.S. mainland, and many standard road signs have been altered to fit the left-side driving.
Public transportation
thumb|left|VITRAN bus on St Thomas near TuTu Park Mall.
thumb|VITRAN Ferry, Cruz Bay 1, docking at the Urman Victor Fredericks Marine Terminal in Red Hook, St. Thomas
The VITRAN (Virgin Island Public Transit) system is a comprehensive public transportation system serving the U.S. Virgin Islands. It provides accessible public transportation across the major islands of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas. The system encompasses various modes of transportation, including buses, paratransit services and ferries connecting major towns, tourist destinations, transportation hubs, and islands.
Mail Service
Mail service is handled by the United States Postal Service, using the two-character state code "VI" for domestic mail delivery.
ZIP codes are in the 008xx range.
00820–00824 (Christiansted),
00830–00831 (St. John),
00840–00841 (Frederiksted),
and 00850–00851 (Kingshill).
The islands are part of the North American Numbering Plan, using area code 340, and island residents and visitors are able to call most toll-free U.S. numbers. there were 39,642 households, out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.8% were married couples living together, 20.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.1% were non-families. 40.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the territory, 19.6% of the population in 2020 was under the age of 18, 8.0% was from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and up, there were 87.7 males. The annual population growth is −0.12%.
The literacy rate for the adult population was 94.9% in 2010.
Ethnic groups
The racial makeup of the U.S. Virgin Islands as of the 2020 United States census:
Languages
thumb|227x227px|English and Spanish sign at the Catholic Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul
thumb|right|A Danish street name in Charlotte-Amalie
English is the predominant language of the territory. In 2010, Spanish
Virgin Islands Creole English, an English-based creole locally known as "dialect", is spoken in informal situations. The form of Virgin Islands Creole spoken on St. Croix, known as Crucian, is slightly different from that spoken on St. Thomas and St. John. Because the U.S. Virgin Islands are home to thousands of immigrants from across the Caribbean, Spanish and various French creole languages are also widely spoken. Spanish is mostly spoken by Puerto Ricans in St. Croix; Puerto Rican migration was prevalent in the 1930s, '40s and '50s, when many Puerto Ricans relocated to St. Croix for work after the collapse of the sugar industry. In addition, the U.S. Navy purchase of two-thirds of the nearby Puerto Rican island of Vieques during World War II resulted in the displacement of thousands of Viequenses, many of whom relocated to St. Croix because of its similar size and geography. Puerto Ricans in St. Croix, most of whom have lived on the island for more than a generation, have kept their culture alive while integrating it into the native Crucian culture and society. For example, in informal situations, many Puerto Ricans in St. Croix speak a unique Spanglish-like combination of Puerto Rican Spanish and the local Crucian dialect of creole English. Although the U.S. Virgin Islands was a Danish possession during most of its colonial history, Danish never was a spoken language among the populace, black or non-Danish white, as the majority of plantation and slave owners were of Dutch, English, Scottish, Irish, or Spanish descent.
Even during Danish ownership, Dutch, another Germanic language like Danish, was more common, at least during some of those 245 years, specifically on St. Thomas and St. John, where the majority of the European settlers were Dutch. In St. Croix, English was the dominant language. St. Croix was owned by the French until 1733 when the island was sold to the Danish West Indian and Guinea Company. By 1741, there were five times as many English settlers on the island as Danes. English Creole emerged on St. Croix more so than the Dutch Creole, which was more popular on St. Thomas and St. John. Negerhollands, a Dutch-based creole language, was formerly spoken on St. John, St. Croix, and St. Thomas. The creole emerged on plantations in the late 17th century or early 18th century; but its prevalence began to decline in the early-mid 19th century as the usage of English and Virgin Islands Creole English increased. The last speaker of Negerhollands died in 1987, and the language is now considered extinct.