The Virgin Islands are comprised of two political units: the American islands of St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John; and the British islands of Anegada, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda. From the standpoint of history and archeology, the islands are part of the Lesser Antilles; geographically and geologically, however, they are part of the Greater Antilles (Sleight 962). The Virgin Islands, first occupied by Indian groups migrating from South America (Hatch 972), were inhabited, at one time or another, by explorers, colonists, and opportunists from Britain, Denmark, France, Holland, Spain, and the United States (Varlack and Harrigan 977). In addition to human activities- mainly colonization, plantation agriculture, and later subsistence activities and grazing-the Island's forests have been periodically disturbed by hurricanes and severe droughts (Colon-Dieppa and others 99 ). The landscape today is largely cultural, having been shaped as much by human activity as by natural processes and events (Tyson 987).

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