St. John is the smallest of the three major U.S. Virgin Islands. Some two-thirds of its area, and large stretches of its coastal waters, are now included in the Virgin Islands National Park. It was established in 1956 on the initiative of Laurence Rockefeller, who bought this former sugar island and donated the land to the American people. St. John is now a great attraction for nature lovers and diving enthusiasts, with its small population living mainly from tourism.