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

Health

live 14.2 years longer

In Zambia, the average life expectancy is 67 years (64 years for men, 69 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 33.6 times more money

Zambia has a GDP per capita of $1,318 as of 2025, while in Virgin Islands, the GDP per capita is $44,321 as of 2022.

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be 93.2% more likely to be unemployed

In Zambia, 5.9% 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 77.9% less likely to die during infancy

In Zambia, approximately 34.6 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 66.1% fewer children

In Zambia, there are approximately 32.7 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 95.7% more likely to have access to electricity

In Zambia, approximately 51% of people have electricity access (90% in urban areas, and 18% 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 3.8 times more likely to have internet access

In Zambia, approximately 17.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Virgin Islands, about 64.8% do as of 2022.

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be 35.5% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Zambia, approximately 73% 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 9.5 times more likely to be murdered

Zambia has a homicide rate of 5.2 per 100,000 people as of 2015. In Virgin Islands, that number is 49.6 per 100,000 as of 2012.

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Infrastructure

find 12.7 times more home broadband

Zambia has 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Virgin Islands has 10.1 as of 2022.

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Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), 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 Zambia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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