Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 4.5 years longer

In Jamaica, the average life expectancy is 76 years (74 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022. In Virgin Islands, that number is 80 years (77 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 4.5 times more money

Jamaica has a GDP per capita of $10,300 as of 2023, while in Virgin Islands, the GDP per capita is $46,200 as of 2021.

be 2.7 times more likely to be unemployed

In Jamaica, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Virgin Islands, that number is 12.1% as of 2023.

be 69.0% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Jamaica, 17.1% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Virgin Islands, however, that number is 28.9% as of 2002.

Life

be 31.5% less likely to die during infancy

In Jamaica, approximately 11.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Virgin Islands, on the other hand, 7.7 children do as of 2022.

have 28.8% fewer children

In Jamaica, there are approximately 15.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Virgin Islands, there are 11.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 21.0% less likely to have internet access

In Jamaica, approximately 82.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Virgin Islands, about 64.8% do as of 2022.

Geography

see 81.6% less coastline

Jamaica has a total of 1,022 km of coastline. In Virgin Islands, that number is 188 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

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 Jamaica? See an in-depth size comparison.

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