Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Virgin Islands instead of Papua New Guinea, you would:

Health

live 10.8 years longer

In Papua New Guinea, the average life expectancy is 69 years (68 years for men, 71 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 9.7 times more money

Papua New Guinea has a GDP per capita of $3,800 as of 2022, while in Virgin Islands, the GDP per capita is $37,000 as of 2016.

be 21.9% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Papua New Guinea, 37.0% live below the poverty line as of 2002. In Virgin Islands, however, that number is 28.9% as of 2002.

be 4.6 times more likely to be unemployed

In Papua New Guinea, 2.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Virgin Islands, that number is 12.9% as of 2022.

Life

be 77.2% less likely to die during infancy

In Papua New Guinea, approximately 33.6 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 60.5% fewer children

In Papua New Guinea, there are approximately 28.1 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 4.8 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Papua New Guinea, approximately 21% of the population has electricity access as of 2021. In Virgin Islands, 100% of the population do as of 2021.

be 2.0 times more likely to have internet access

In Papua New Guinea, approximately 32.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Virgin Islands, about 64.8% do as of 2022.

be 2.1 times more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Papua New Guinea, approximately 48% of people have improved drinking water access as of 2020. In Virgin Islands, 99% of people do as of 2020.

Geography

see 96.4% less coastline

Papua New Guinea has a total of 5,152 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 Papua New Guinea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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