The latest statistics on the world epidemic of AIDS & HIV
were published by UNAIDS/WHO in December 2004. The
report gives the latest AIDS and HIV statistics for the
whole world and for regions.
World estimates of the HIV & AIDS
epidemics at the end of 2004
| Number of
people living with HIV/AIDS in 2004 |
|
Estimate* |
Range* |
| Total |
39.4 |
35.9-44.3 |
| Adults |
37.2 |
33.8-41.7 |
| Women |
17.6 |
16.3-19.5 |
| Children <15 |
2.2 |
2.0-2.6 |
| People newly
infected with HIV in 2004 |
|
Estimate* |
Range* |
| Total |
4.9 |
4.3-6.4 |
| Adults |
4.3 |
3.7-5.7 |
| Children <15 |
0.64 |
0.57-0.75 |
| AIDS deaths
in 2004 |
|
Estimate* |
Range* |
| Total |
3.1 |
2.8-3.5 |
| Adults |
2.6 |
2.3-2.9 |
| Children <15 |
0.51 |
0.46-0.60 |
|
* millions |
Total number of AIDS deaths between 1981 and the
end of 2003: 20 million.
Number of children orphaned by AIDS living in
Sub-Saharan Africa at the end of 2003: 12 million.
By December 2004 women accounted for 47% of all
people living with HIV worldwide, and for 57% in sub-Saharan
Africa.
In 2003, young people (15-24 years old) accounted
for half of all new HIV infections worldwide, more than
6,000 became infected with HIV every day.
An estimated five million people in low and middle
income countries do not have the AIDS drugs which could
save their lives.
Regional statistics for HIV & AIDS
end of 2004
| Region |
Adults & Children
Living with HIV/AIDS* |
Adults & Children
Newly Infected |
Adult
Infection
Rate (%) |
Deaths
of
Adults & Children* |
| Sub-Saharan Africa |
25.4 |
3.1 |
7.4 |
2.3 |
| East Asia |
1.1 |
0.29 |
0.1 |
0.051 |
| South and South-East
Asia |
7.1 |
0.89 |
0.6 |
0.49 |
| Oceania |
0.035 |
0.005 |
0.2 |
0.0007 |
| Eastern Europe & Central
Asia |
1.4 |
0.21 |
0.8 |
0.060 |
| Western & Central
Europe |
0.61 |
0.021 |
0.3 |
0.0065 |
| North Africa & Middle
East |
0.54 |
0.092 |
0.3 |
0.028 |
| North America |
1.0 |
0.044 |
0.6 |
0.016 |
| Caribbean |
0.44 |
0.053 |
2.3 |
0.036 |
| Latin America |
1.7 |
0.24 |
0.6 |
0.095 |
| Global Total |
39.4 |
4.9 |
1.1 |
3.1 |
|
* millions |
During 2004 around five million adults and children became
infected with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), the virus
that causes AIDS. By the end of the year, an estimated
39.4 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS.
The year also saw more than three million deaths from AIDS,
despite the availability of HIV antiretroviral therapy
which reduced the number of deaths in high income countries.
More information
AVERT.org has many pages of national and regional HIV & AIDS statistics and
a guide to understanding
the statistics.
Notes
Adults in this report are defined as men and women aged
15-49. This age range captures those in their most sexually
active years. While the risk of HIV infection continues
beyond the age of 50, the vast majority of people with
substantial risk behaviour are likely to have become infected
by this age. Since population structures differ greatly
from one country to another, especially for children and
the upper adult ages, the restriction of 'adults' to 15-49
has the advantage of making different populations more
comparable.
Children orphaned by AIDS are those children under 18
who have lost one or both parents to AIDS.
All the statistics on this page needed to be interpreted
with caution because they are estimates.
