Part 887

Illicit drugs: key growing areas in Vietnam cultivated 3,150 hectares of poppy in 1996, producing 25 tons of opium; opium producer and increasingly important transit point for Southeast Asian heroin destined for the US and Europe; growing opium addiction; possible small-scale heroin production ______________________________________________________________________

VIRGIN ISLANDS

(territory of the US)

@Virgin Islands:Geography

Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 18 20 N, 64 50 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 352 sq km land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km

Area - comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 188 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November

Terrain: mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

Natural resources: sun, sand, sea, surf

Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures : 26% forests and woodland: 6% other: 47% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts, floods, and earthquakes

Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified : NA

Geography - note: important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural, deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

@Virgin Islands:People

Population: 97,240 (July 1997 est.) note: West Indian (45% born in the Virgin Islands and 29% born elsewhere in the West Indies) 74%, US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 5%, other 8%

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years : NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: 0.18% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 16.72 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)