The American Virgins (USVI), once
Danish, were bought by the USA in 1917
for strategic reasons, mainly as a
Caribbean base and to cover the
approaches to the Panama Canal. The
USVI are self-governing and attached to
the USA but not integrated as part of the
union, although there is a voting delegate
from the USVI in the US House of
Representatives. Hence USVI nationals
resident in the USVI, although they are
US citizens, cannot vote for the US President or for members of either of the
US Houses of Congress. |
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The territory includes three main islands and a multitude of islets. St John and St
Thomas lie close together, but St Croix is
35M to the S of St John. Each has a
different history and has developed in a
different way: St John is still in an almost
untouched natural state and part of it is a
National Park; St Thomas is modern and
touristy; and St Croix is still living in its
colonial past. |
