Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 12.1 years longer

In Laos, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 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 4.7 times more money

Laos has a GDP per capita of $7,900 as of 2022, while in Virgin Islands, the GDP per capita is $37,000 as of 2016.

be 3.4 times more likely to be unemployed

In Laos, 3.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Virgin Islands, that number is 12.9% as of 2022.

be 57.9% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Laos, 18.3% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Virgin Islands, however, that number is 28.9% as of 2002.

Life

be 79.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Laos, approximately 37.8 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 43.9% fewer children

In Laos, there are approximately 19.8 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 11.1% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Laos, approximately 89% of people have improved drinking water access as of 2020. In Virgin Islands, 99% of people do as of 2020.

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 Laos? See an in-depth size comparison.

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