Curaçao vs US Virgin Islands
Side-by-side comparison of Curaçao and US Virgin Islands from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
US Virgin Islands
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 109 years
In short
Curaçao has 51% more people than US Virgin Islands. Curaçao has 28% more land area than US Virgin Islands. Curaçao and US Virgin Islands have economies of similar size (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Curaçao 156,263 and US Virgin Islands 103,792 (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $49,785 in US Virgin Islands and $32,741 in Curaçao (2024, international dollars). People in US Virgin Islands live on average 3.8 years longer (80.8 vs 77.0 years).
Of 6 indicators reported by both countries, Curaçao ranks higher in the world on 2 and US Virgin Islands on 4. Curaçao is clearly stronger in economy and trade. US Virgin Islands is clearly stronger in environment & energy, society & health and tourism.
As a nation, US Virgin Islands is the older of the two (statehood since 1917, 109 years), compared with Curaçao (since 1954).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Curaçao and US Virgin Islands.
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
US Virgin Islands overtook Curaçao in GDP (PPP) in 2018 and has stayed ahead since.
US Virgin Islands overtook Curaçao in life expectancy in 2000 and has stayed ahead since.
US Virgin Islands has been ahead of Curaçao in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 2002.
Curaçao has been ahead of US Virgin Islands in population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | ||
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 444193rd/216 · 2024 | 348197th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 444192nd/216 · 2024 | 348196th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 156,263186th/217 · 2025 | 103,792192nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.19%162nd/217 · 2025 | -0.56%202nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 351.334th/216 · 2024 | 299.942nd/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 91.5%30th/217 · 2025 | 95.4%18th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 14.6%184th/217 · 2025 | 16.5%161st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 17.3%55th/217 · 2025 | 23.1%13th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $3.56 bn176th/210 · 2024 | $4.67 bn169th/210 · 2022 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $5.11 bn176th/199 · 2024 | $5.25 bn174th/199 · 2022 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $4.49 bn175th/199 · 2024 | $4.90 bn174th/199 · 2022 |
| GDP per person USD | $22,83370th/210 · 2024 | $44,32136th/210 · 2022 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $32,74178th/199 · 2024 | $49,78554th/199 · 2022 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $22,57064th/201 · 2024 | — |
| GDP growth % | 5.0%49th/210 · 2024 | -1.3%201st/210 · 2022 |
| Inflation % | 2.6%2019 | — |
| Unemployment % | — | 11.4%158th/187 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 0.3%189th/197 · 2024 | — |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 12.2%173rd/200 · 2024 | — |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 2.9%171st/192 · 2024 | — |
| Services % of GDP | 72.3%25th/200 · 2024 | — |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $1.93 bn2018 | $4.55 bn134th/182 · 2022 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $2.80 bn2018 | $5.06 bn139th/182 · 2022 |
| Exports % of GDP | 63.2%2018 | 97.4%11th/183 · 2022 |
| Imports % of GDP | 92.0%2018 | 108.3%5th/183 · 2022 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 155.3%2018 | 205.6%8th/183 · 2022 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 4.3%47th/196 · 2024 | — |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%187th/209 · 2021 | 0.2%150th/209 · 2020 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | — | 0.00%120th/197 · 2020 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | — | 0.00%100th/197 · 2020 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.21%24th/195 · 2020 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2020 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2020 |
| Arable land % of land area | — | 2.2%168th/206 · 2024 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 1.3 m87th/194 · 2019 | 8.6 m24th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $282.0 m109th/175 · 2020 | $686.0 m86th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 27.8%26th/168 · 2020 | — |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 77.085th/217 · 2024 | 80.849th/217 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | — | 1.651995 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | — | 18.71996 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 90.4%47th/153 · 2020 | — |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 89.9%106th/173 · 2024 | 121.7%1997 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 25.4%57th/217 · 2025 | 38.3%8th/217 · 2025 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 23.1%2013 | 33.6%1993 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 98.7%35th/150 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 68.1%2017 | 64.4%2017 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 94152nd/210 · 2023 | 91158th/210 · 2022 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 31.555th/208 · 2023 | 10.1118th/208 · 2022 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | — | 0.005th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 2.8%175th/212 · 2021 | 5.9%165th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | — | 6.823rd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 0.2%205th/214 · 2024 | 58.9%33rd/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 3,84122nd/149 · 2024 | — |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | — | 59.675th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | — | 46.794th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | — | 68.064th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | — | 82.644th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | — | 74.225th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | — | 72.62017 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 16.92007 | 49.92012 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | — | 0.03%2007 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Curaçao or US Virgin Islands?
Curaçao has the larger population: 156,263 (2025) compared with 103,792 for US Virgin Islands (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Curaçao or US Virgin Islands?
Curaçao is larger: 444 km² (2024) compared with 348 km² for US Virgin Islands (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Curaçao or US Virgin Islands?
US Virgin Islands has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $5.25 bn intl. (2022) compared with $5.11 bn intl. for Curaçao (2024). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Curaçao or US Virgin Islands?
US Virgin Islands has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $49,785 intl. (2022) compared with $32,741 intl. for Curaçao (2024). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Curaçao or US Virgin Islands?
US Virgin Islands has the higher life expectancy at birth: 80.8 years (2024) compared with 77.0 years for Curaçao (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Sources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Curaçao vs US Virgin Islands — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/curacao-vs-us-virgin-islands. Data as of 26 October 2026.