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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.
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Country
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Surface Area: 352 square km
Population: 108,775 (July 2004 est.)
Located in: Central America (Caribbean)
Capital City: Charlotte Amalie
Head of State: George W. BUSH
Prime Minister: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL
Independent since: organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Currency: US dollar (USD)
Flag (image): 
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