Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in United Arab Emirates instead of Virgin Islands, you would:

Health

live 2.3 years longer

In Virgin Islands, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 83 years (82 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024.

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Economy

be 81.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Virgin Islands, 11.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 2.2% as of 2025.

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be 32.5% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Virgin Islands, 28.9% live below the poverty line as of 2002. In United Arab Emirates, however, that number is 19.5% as of 2003.

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make 13.4% more money

Virgin Islands has a GDP per capita of $44,321 as of 2022, while in United Arab Emirates, the GDP per capita is $50,274 as of 2024.

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Life

be 50.3% less 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 United Arab Emirates, on the other hand, 3.8 children do as of 2024.

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have 11.5% fewer children

In Virgin Islands, there are approximately 11.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In United Arab Emirates, there are 9.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 54.3% more likely to have internet access

In Virgin Islands, approximately 64.8% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In United Arab Emirates, about 100.0% do as of 2024.

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Geography

see 7.0 times more coastline

Virgin Islands has a total of 188 km of coastline. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 1,318 km.

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Infrastructure

find 4.1 times more home broadband

Virgin Islands has 10.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. United Arab Emirates has 40.8 as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2002–2022). How we calculate this

Compare further: Virgin Islands vs. United Arab Emirates

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
United Arab Emirates is 42.9% cheaper than Virgin Islands overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
Virgin Islands is about 44 times smaller than United Arab Emirates.
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Moving from Virgin Islands to United Arab Emirates · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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United Arab Emirates: At a glance

United Arab Emirates is a sovereign country in Middle East, with a total land area of approximately 83,600 sq km. The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Dhabi, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of leading West European nations. Its high oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region. For more than three decades, oil and global finance drove the UAE's economy. However, in 2008-09, the confluence of falling oil prices, collapsing real estate prices, and the international banking crisis hit the UAE especially hard. The UAE has essentially avoided the "Arab Spring" unrest seen elsewhere in the Middle East, though in March 2011, political activists and intellectuals signed a petition calling for greater public participation in governance that was widely circulated on the Internet. In an effort to stem potential further unrest, the government announced a multi-year, $1.6-billion infrastructure investment plan for the poorer northern emirates and aggressively pursued advocates of political reform.
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How big is United Arab Emirates compared to Virgin Islands? See an in-depth size comparison.

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