The residents of St. Thomas, US Virgin islands are U.S. citizens, although they cannot vote in presidential elections and have only non-voting status in Congress. 32 square miles. 51,634 (2010 census) US Dollar. Major Credit Cards are accepted. ATM machines are located in banks and selected commercial outlets Banco Popular, First Bank Virgin Islands, Scotiabank There is no sales tax in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Residents pay income tax to the USVI government. Iguanas, pelicans, mongoose, scorpions (not poisonous), donkeys, deer, hummingbirds, herons, bats and more. There are also various lizards, frogs and insects. Banana, Mango, Orange and Cashews. Frangipani, Allamanda, Heliconia, Bougainvillea, Oleander, Hibiscus, Double Hibiscus, Flamboyant (Orange), Flamboyant (Yellow), Ixora, Agave / Century Plant, Cactus The Virgin Islands national flower is the yellow cedar (Tecoma Stans). The language of the locals is English with a West Indian based dialects. For instance, the 'H' is often discarded ("thing" becomes "ting", and "thanks" becomes "tanks...mon"). Also water is pronouced watta and mother matta. St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, was originally settled around 1500 BC by the Ciboney people. They were later replaced by the Arawaks and then the Caribs. Christopher Columbus sighted the island in 1493 on his second voyage to the "New World". The Dutch West India Company established a post on Saint Thomas in 1657. The Danish conquered the island in 1666, and by 1672 had established control over the entire island through the Danish West India and Guinea Company. The land was divided into plantations and sugar cane production became the primary economic activity. In 1691 the primary settlement there was renamed Charlotte Amalie in honor of the wife of Denmark's King Christian V. It was later declared a free port by Frederick V. While the sugar trade had brought prosperity to the island's free citizens, by the early 19th century Saint Thomas was in decline. The continued export of sugar was threatened by hurricanes, drought, and American competition. In 1917 St. Thomas was purchased (along with Saint John and Saint Croix) by the United States for $25 million in gold as part of a defensive strategy to maintain control over the Caribbean and the Panama Canal during the First World War.