AMERICAN VIRGIN ISLANDS
(Group of otrov of the different sizes. An offshore zone for foreigners.)

Known till 1917 as the Danish West Indies, the Virgin Islands of the USA leave the Caribbean waters in 1,100 miles (1770 kilometers) to the south from Miami and in 40 miles (64 kilometers) to the east from Puerto Rico. They cover in total 165 square miles. On the North the Bahamas, and in the south - Haiti lie. A part of a bigger chain of the Antilles, the Virgin Islands consist of 68 volcanic islands and islands which represent the small islands made mainly of corals. Three main islands - Saint Thomas, St. John's and St Croix. All of them strong and mountain. The British Virgin Islands Tortola, the Maiden Gorda, Anegada and Yost Van Dayk are located further on the East and cover 59 square miles.

Since the end of World War II tourism was the major branch on islands. The wine islands known for the fascinating white sandy beaches, numerous halls and exotic fauna are the popular tourist direction, especially for those who are interested in diving, sailing and sports fishing. Average annual temperature is 80 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius); trade winds help to maintain moderate temperature. By the end of the 1990th years the population made 102 000 people, the majority of whom lived in Charlotte Amali's capital on Saint Thomas. Annual rate of an increase in population is 2,5 percent. Population density makes 76 people on square mile.

The island mythology abounds with fairy tales from piracy days, blue and island ghosts which are used for tourism development. Islands also had long and painful story of colonialism and slavery under the power of Denmark. One of results is that most of inhabitants of islands of the Virgin Islands belong to the African origin, and the others treat the European or mixed heritage. The United States bought the Virgin Islands in 1917 from Denmark for 25 million dollars. Official language - English though Spanish and Creole are also widely used. Currency - US dollar. Known as "Paradise of America", the Virgin Islands apply for culture which is Afro-euro-Caribbean.

The native people inhabited the Virgin Islands for thousands of years before Christopher Columbus arrived to islands during the second swimming to the New World in 1493. Arawaks, as believe, arrived to islands about 100-200 announcements, and Ciboneys - between 300 and 400 bc Caribbean Islands arrived much later, approximately in 100-150 years prior to Columbus. Indians of Arawaks and karik arose in Central America and went to the Virgin Islands through now Trinidad and the Lesser Antilles. It is unknown from where there was Ciboneys. Various theories claim that they moved to the south from Florida, to the north from South America or to the east from Central America. Modern studying of any of these people wasn't.