W end of St. Thomas, Great-, Little Saint James, Dog Island, Steven Cay, W part of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands (cropped)

Natural-colour image of the Island of St. John island in the United States Virgin Islands. The BVI are in the upper portion on the photo. Settlements—marked by curving roads and light roofs—line the irregular coastline. The pinpoints of white in Coral Bay are probably boats. The island’s interior is carpeted with varying shades of green. Temperatures vary little throughout the year, ranging between the mid-20s to mid-30s Celsius. Although the vegetation appears lush, much of it is second-generation growth, according to the U.S. National Park Service (NPS). During the colonial period, large swaths of the island were clear-cut to accommodate sugar cane production.