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

Health

live 16.5 years less

In Virgin Islands, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024. In Swaziland, that number is 64 years (61 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2024.

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Economy

be 3.0 times more likely to be unemployed

In Virgin Islands, 11.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Swaziland, that number is 34.2% as of 2025.

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make 90.7% less money

Virgin Islands has a GDP per capita of $44,321 as of 2022, while in Swaziland, the GDP per capita is $4,108 as of 2025.

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Life

have 2.1 times more children

In Virgin Islands, there are approximately 11.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Swaziland, there are 23.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 5.5 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 Swaziland, on the other hand, 42.2 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 13.6% 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 Swaziland, that number is 86% of people on average (91% in urban areas, and 85% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 19.2% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Virgin Islands, approximately 99% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Swaziland, 80% of people do as of 2024.

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Infrastructure

find 75.1% less home broadband

Virgin Islands has 10.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Swaziland has 2.5 as of 2024.

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

Swaziland: At a glance

Swaziland is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 17,204 sq km. Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King MSWATI III, Africa's last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these promises in recent years. A constitution came into effect in 2006, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear. The African United Democratic Party tried unsuccessfully to register as an official political party in mid 2006. Talks over the constitution broke down between the government and progressive groups in 2007. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.
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How big is Swaziland compared to Virgin Islands? See an in-depth size comparison.

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