Join our newsletter

St. John

Main Attractions :

One of the best places to snorkel in the Caribbean, visitors don’t have to venture far from shore to begin interacting with sea turtles and rays in St. John.

On land, more than three dozen hiking trails beckon adventurers, crisscrossing the lush, 5,500-acre National Park. This preserve protects more than half the island’s total footprint and is home to a veritable Smorgasbord of flora and fauna.

Beloved for our dozens of virtually crowd-free, white-sand beaches,
this—the smallest of the three main U.S. Virgin Islands—is considered to have some of the most unspoiled underwater and terrestrial habitats found anywhere in the Caribbean.

green leafed trees and body of water
a group of boats floating on top of a body of water

National Park

Virgin Islands National Park is comprised of 7,259 acres of terrestrial habitat, which is about 60%, of the island's land mass. The park owns the ridge tops to the reefs providing protection and preservation for Tropical and migrating birds , fish , corals and other marine life, as well as some 800 species of plants.

Population

The total population of the islands per the 2020 U.S Census is 3,881, primarily of Afro-Caribbean and West Indian descent.

Main Town :

St. John features two quaint beach towns, Cruz Bay and Coral Bay, nestled on opposing ends of the island.

Cruz Bay is the largest town and economic hub of St. John.

Coral Bay is a thriving small community on the southeastern side of the island.

bird's eye view of body of water near mountain
Assorted-color Buildings Near Body of Water

History :

The Danish West India Company resettled St. Thomas in 1671, and an African slave market is established in 1673. Saint John was claimed as a part of the British Leeward Island in 1684 when leased to two English merchants from Barbados, yet they were removed by Governor Stapleton. It was uninhabited when 20 Danish planters came over from St. Thomas in 1717, and the island was claimed again by Denmark in 1718.

In 1917, during the First World War, the United States purchased the U.S. Virgin Islands for $25 million from the Danish government in order to establish a naval base. During the 20th century, private investors acquired properties on the island, redeveloping some plantation houses as vacation resorts. The island became popular and tourism and related service jobs developed as a major part of the economy

How the Economic Development Authority
Can Help You

Unlock new horizons within the US Virgin Islands with the business potential our territory offers with the help of the USVI Economic Development Authority.
With tailored tax programs, incentives, financing options and more.