If you lived in Virgin Islands instead of Ethiopia, you would:

Health

live 13.2 years longer

In Ethiopia, the average life expectancy is 68 years (64 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024. In Virgin Islands, that number is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024.

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Economy

make 47.5 times more money

Ethiopia has a GDP per capita of $933 as of 2025, while in Virgin Islands, the GDP per capita is $44,321 as of 2022.

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be 3.4 times more likely to be unemployed

In Ethiopia, 3.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Virgin Islands, that number is 11.4% as of 2025.

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Life

be 77.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Ethiopia, approximately 34.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Virgin Islands, on the other hand, 7.7 children do as of 2022.

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have 64.7% fewer children

In Ethiopia, there are approximately 31.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Virgin Islands, there are 11.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 80.5% more likely to have access to electricity

In Ethiopia, approximately 55% of people have electricity access (95% in urban areas, and 44% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Virgin Islands, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 3.0 times more likely to have internet access

In Ethiopia, approximately 21.9% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Virgin Islands, about 64.8% do as of 2022.

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be 78.9% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Ethiopia, approximately 56% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Virgin Islands, 99% of people do as of 2024.

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Safety

be 5.8 times more likely to be murdered

Ethiopia has a homicide rate of 8.6 per 100,000 people as of 2012. In Virgin Islands, that number is 49.6 per 100,000 as of 2012.

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Infrastructure

find 17.1 times more home broadband

Ethiopia has 0.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Virgin Islands has 10.1 as of 2022.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2022), United Nations SDG Indicators (2012). How we calculate this

Virgin Islands: At a glance

Virgin Islands (sometimes abbreviated USVI) is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 346 sq km. The Danes secured control over the southern Virgin Islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix during the 17th and early 18th centuries. Sugarcane, produced by African slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish holdings, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.
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How big is Virgin Islands compared to Ethiopia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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