The number (and proportion) of people living with HIV varies considerably from region to region and even from country to country within a region.

The impact of HIV on individuals, the rate at which it is transmitted between people and the extent to which it is effectively treated is the result of a large number of factors. Some of these factors are clinical, others are cultural, social, economic and legal.

Our work is focussed on the UK, but we keep ourselves informed of what's going on elsewhere in the world and share our expertise particularly with countries which have similar cultural, social and legal settings. We therefore get involved quite heavily at a European level.

Below are some summary international statistics. Detailed figures are available from UNAIDS.

Last Updated: November 2011

International statistics

Worldwide in 2010

People living with HIV

• 34 million people worldwide
• 50% - 17 million - of people living with HIV worldwide are women

New HIV diagnoses

• 2.7 million total new HIV diagnoses worldwide
• 390,000 new infections among children worldwide

AIDS-related deaths

•       1.8 million AIDS-related deaths in 2010

 

HIV by Region in 2010

Sub-Saharan Africa

• 22.9 million adults and children living with HIV
• 1.9 million new HIV infections among adults and children
• 5% adult prevalence
• 1.2 AIDS-related deaths
• An estimated 68% of all people living with HIV resided in sub-Saharan Africa, a region with only 12% of the global population.
• South Africa has more people living with HIV (an estimated 5.6 million) than any other country in the world. 
• Since 1997, the total number of new HIV infections in the region has declined by more than 26%, from 2.6 million to 1.9 million.
• Still accounts for 70% of all new HIV infections globally.  
• Nearly half of all global AIDS-related deaths in 2010 occurred in southern Africa.
• 20% increase in antiretroviral therapy coverage between 2009 and 2010.

South and South-East Asia

• 4 million adults and children living with HIV
• 270,000 new infections among adults and children
• 0.3% adult prevalence
• 250,000 AIDS-related deaths
• 40% decline in new HIV infections between 1996 and 2010

East Asia

• 790,000 adults and children living with HIV
• 88,000 new infections among adults and children
• Estimated 0.1% prevalence  
• 56,000 AIDS-related deaths

Oceania

• 54,000 people living with HIV
• 3,300 new infections among adults and children
• 0.3% adult prevalence
• 1,600 AIDS-related deaths
• 34% increase in people living with HIV in 2010 compared to 2001

Eastern Europe and Central Asia

• 1.5 million people living with HIV
• 160,000 new infections among adults and children
• 0.9% adult prevalence
• 90,000 AIDS-related deaths
• 250% increase in the number of people living with HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia between 2001 and 2010.
• Russia and the Ukraine account for nearly 90% of the regional epidemic.
• Injecting drug use remains the leading cause of HIV infection in this region.

Western and Central Europe

• 840,000 adults and children living with HIV
• 30,000 new infections among adults and children
• 0.2% adult prevalence
• 9,900 AIDS-related deaths

North America

• 1.3 million and children living with HIV
• 58,000 new infections among adults and children
• 0.6% adult prevalence
• 20,000 AIDS-related deaths

Latin America

• 1.5 million adults and children living with HIV
• 100,000 new HIV infections among adults and children
• 0.4% adult prevalence
• 67,000 AIDS-related deaths
• 36% of adults living with HIV are women.

Caribbean

• 200,000 adults and children living with HIV
• 12,000 new infections among adults and children
• 0.9% adult prevalence
• 9,000 AIDS-related deaths
• Second highest HIV prevalence after sub-Saharan Africa.
• However, 25% decline in new infections in the Dominican Republic and Jamaica since 2001; 12% decline in Haiti.
• Unprotected sex remains primary mode of transmission.

Middle East and North Africa

• 470,000 people living with HIV in 2010
• 59,000 new infections among adults and children
• 0.2% prevalence
• 35,000 AIDS-related deaths in 2010
• Prevalence in Djibouti and South Sudan is becoming generalized (exceeds 1%)

 

Source: 2011 UNAIDS World AIDS Day Report