Virgin Islands (United States)

The Health in the Americas+¹ country profiles are based on the interagency indicators available as of the dates referenced. The sources are referenced in this table. In some cases, the values of the indicators may differ from the most recent data available in the country.

Environmental and social determinants of health

In 2000, the total population of the United States Virgin Islands was 108 185 inhabitants; by 2020, this figure had risen to 100 091, representing a 7.5% decrease. Regarding the country's demographic profile, in 2020, people over 65 years of age accounted for 20% of the total population, an increase of 11.6 percentage points compared to the year 2000. In 2020, there were 113.8 women per 100 men and 104 older people (65 years or older) per 100 children under 15 years of age, as can be seen in the country's population pyramids, distributed by age group and sex (Figure 1). Considering the population between 15 and 64 years of age to be potentially active (i.e., potential participants in the labor force), this group represented 60.8% of the total population of the country in 2020 (60 808 people). When we add these figures to the potentially passive population (19 261 under 15 years of age and 20 023 over 65 years of age), the result is a dependency ratio of 64.6 potentially passive people per 100 potentially active people. This ratio was 53.3 in 2000.

Life expectancy at birth in 2022 was 75.1 years - higher than the average for the Region of the Americas - representing a increase of 3.3 years over the 2000 figure.

Figure 1. Population pyramids, years 2000 and 2021

The unemployment rate in 2000 was 11.1% of the total population, in comparison with a rate of 13.3% in 2022.

Digital coverage

The percentage of the population with internet connection amounted to 64% in 2017.

Health situation

Maternal and child health

The proportion of low birth weight births (<2,500 grams) increased from 9.1% to 9.9% between 2000 and 2016. In the specific case of adolescent fertility, there was a 47.8% reduction, from 57.3 live births per 1,000 women aged 15-19 years in 2000 to 29.9 in 2022. Between 2008 and 2015, the percentage of prenatal care coverage with a minimum of 4 consultations, decreased to 91.7% to 50.6%, and the percentage of births attended by trained personnel was increased 0.9%, from 98.4% in 2000 to 99.3% in 2008.

Status of the COVID-19 Pandemic

In the United States Virgin Islands in 2020, there were a total of 2038 cases of COVID-19, representing 20 380 per million population. In 2021, there were 7 617 identified cases, equivalent to 76 170 per million population. In 2022, there were 13 383 identified cases, equivalent to 133 831 per million population. In 2020, there were 23 deaths directly caused by COVID-19 in people diagnosed with the disease, or 230 deaths per million population; in 2021, 66 deaths are reported, equivalent to 660 deaths per million population. In 2022, 34 deaths directly caused by COVID-19 in people diagnosed with the disease, or 340 per million population. In 2020, United States Virgin Islands ranked 24th  in the Region of the Americas in terms of the number of deaths from COVID-19, and 21th in 2022.

On December 31, 2021, 63.7% of the country's population had at least one dose of COVID- 19 vaccine applied. By April 20, 2022 (the latest available data), 59% of the population was fully vaccinated. The vaccination campaign started on February 20, 2021 and so far 2 types of COVID-19 vaccines have been used in the country.

The sources of the interagency indicators used in this profile can be found in this table.

For the latest data on health indicators for the Region of the Americas, be sure to visit the PAHO Core Indicators portal.