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

Health

live 11.5 years less

In Virgin Islands, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024. In Botswana, that number is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024.

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Economy

be 2.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In Virgin Islands, 11.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Botswana, that number is 24.5% as of 2025.

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make 82.5% less money

Virgin Islands has a GDP per capita of $44,321 as of 2022, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $7,778 as of 2025.

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Life

have 2.2 times more children

In Virgin Islands, there are approximately 11.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Botswana, there are 24.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 4.2 times more likely to die during infancy

In Virgin Islands, approximately 7.7 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Botswana, on the other hand, 32.1 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 24.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In Virgin Islands, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Botswana, that number is 76% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 25% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 11.3% less likely to have internet access

In Virgin Islands, approximately 64.8% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Botswana, about 57.5% do as of 2024.

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Infrastructure

find 26.1% less home broadband

Virgin Islands has 10.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Botswana has 7.4 as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2022). How we calculate this

Botswana: At a glance

Botswana is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 566,730 sq km. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. More than four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
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How big is Botswana compared to Virgin Islands? See an in-depth size comparison.

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