Definition

Proper noun: * American Virgin Islands: A group of more than 130 islands and cays located in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico. They constitute an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States. The official name is the United States Virgin Islands (USVI).

Usage

• The term American Virgin Islands is used to distinguish this territory from the nearby British Virgin Islands.
• It refers specifically to the main islands of Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas, along with many smaller islands.
• The term is used in geographical, political, and travel contexts.

Examples

• Tourism is the primary economic driver of the American Virgin Islands.
• The American Virgin Islands have a tropical climate year-round.
• A passport is not required for U.S. citizens traveling to the American Virgin Islands.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in comparative contexts with other Caribbean territories.
  • The American Virgin Islands use the U.S. dollar, while the British Virgin Islands use their own dollar.
• In historical contexts, it may reference the period before the 1917 transfer from Denmark to the United States, though the modern name is typically used.

Variants and Related Words

• United States Virgin Islands (USVI): The official name of the territory. This is the preferred and more precise term in formal contexts.
• U.S. Virgin Islands: A common abbreviated form.
• St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John: The three main islands of the territory.
• British Virgin Islands (BVI): A separate, neighboring overseas territory of the United Kingdom.

Synonyms

• U.S. Virgin Islands
• United States Virgin Islands (formal synonym)

Notes on Meaning

• The term American Virgin Islands is a geographical and political designation, not a description of the islands' physical nature. It solely denotes the islands' political affiliation with the United States.

Noun

1. more than 130 southeastern Virgin Islands; a dependent territory of the United States