The US Virgin Islands has a population of around 84,000, a figure that has been declining steadily since a peak in the 1990s. The islands are majority Black, with roots in the West African communities brought to the islands during the Danish colonial period. Many residents trace their families back through generations of post-emancipation island life. Hispanic residents, largely of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent, make up a significant minority. There is also a long-established community of Sephardic Jewish descent in St. Thomas, whose ancestors arrived in the 17th century.
Islanders hold US citizenship but cannot vote in presidential elections. The territory sends one non-voting delegate to the US House of Representatives. Local governance is handled through an elected governor and a 15-seat legislature.
English is the official language and is spoken universally. Spanish is widely understood, particularly in Charlotte Amalie and on St. Croix. You may also hear Virgin Islands Creole, an English-based creole with West African and Dutch influences, spoken among older residents and in more informal settings.
The population is majority Christian, with Baptist and Catholic churches predominant. The historic Hebrew congregation on St. Thomas — Beracha Veshalom Vegmiluth Hasidim — is the oldest surviving Jewish congregation in the Western Hemisphere, with a synagogue dating to 1833.