Flag of United States Virgin Islands

The flag of the U.S. Virgin Islands was adopted on May 17, 1921. It is a white cloth with a simplified version of the coat of arms of the United States of America, so it looks more like a coat of arms than a flag. In the center is a golden American eagle holding a sprig of green laurel in one talon and three arrows in the other; on the chest, the shield is divided into two parts: the upper one is blue, and the lower one consists of 13 stripes of red and white, as on the US flag. The eagle is placed between the letters "V" and "I".

The Virgin Islands consist of 90 islands in the Caribbean Sea and are divided into the British and American Virgin Islands. The capital is Charlotte Amalie on the main island of St. Thomas. The islands were first discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493, but were not settled by the Spanish. In 1672, the Danish West India Company began to settle St. Thomas, and later St. John and St. Croix. In 1754, the islands became Danish colonies. During the First World War, the United States bought the islands from Denmark, worried that the Germans might seize them.

Meaning of the flag of the US Virgin Islands

• Colors of the US flag:
  • Red symbolizes valor and courage, reflecting the sacrifice of the people who fought for the country;
  • White stands for purity and innocence, symbolizing the value of honesty;
  • Blue symbolizes vigilance, perseverance and justice, as well as the sky and water;
• Gold color symbolizes wealth;
• The letters "V" and "I" on both sides of the eagle represent the Virgin Islands;
• The laurel branch symbolizes victory;
• Three arrows represent the three main islands: St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John;

The image above shows a comparison of the Virgin Islands flag (left) with the US coat of arms (right). The flag is depicted in simpler details, without the white eagle's head, without the ribbon in its beak, and without the 13 five-pointed white stars above its head. However, there are also new elements that indicate that this is the flag of the Virgin Islands, not the coat of arms of the United States - the letters "V" and "I", i.e. "Virgin Islands".

Interesting facts about the Virgin Islands

• The Virgin Islands have a complicated history related to slavery, which was abolished in 1848. They were colonized by European nations, and slavery was an important component of their economy. There were about 30 thousand slaves on St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John. They were considered the "stone people" because of their labor on the land;
• The island of St. Croix was the location for several famous films, including some scenes from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies;
• The water around the Virgin Islands is home to a variety of coral reefs and marine life, making it a popular diving destination;
• Magens Bay Beach on the island of St. Thomas is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It is famous for its white sand, clear water and calm waves;
• St. John is home to an underwater national park. In Trunk Bay, you will find a 225-yard-long underwater route that is one of the best snorkeling spots in the Caribbean;
• Despite the fact that the Virgin Islands are part of the United States, traffic here is carried out on the left side of the road. This may be due to the fact that the Virgin Islands were colonized by various countries, including the United Kingdom, which drives on the left side of the road. However, since the islands are under the control of the United States, cars are imported from the United States and have a steering wheel on the left side. And driving a car with a left-hand drive steering wheel on the left side of the road is quite unusual.