Background During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

NOTE: The information regarding Virgin Islands on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Virgin Islands Introduction 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Virgin Islands Introduction 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.