Since its clinical discovery in 1981, HIV/AIDS has infected an estimated 78 million people worldwide. The condition is among the top 10 leading causes of death, and it has been responsible for the deaths of approximately 660,000 people in the United States alone. Dec. 1 marks World AIDS Day, an opportunity for people worldwide to show support for people living with HIV/AIDS and unite in the fight against the condition. Though scientific advances have made treatment for HIV more effective and available, there is still much work to be done.

Approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV, though new infections are not distributed equally across the country. The states with the highest reported incidence of HIV were Maryland, Georgia, Louisiana, and Florida, and the lowest rate of new infections was seen in Idaho, Montana, Vermont, and Maine.

Past epidemiological data revealed the condition is concentrated in urban areas, so states reporting high rates of new infections usually contain major metropolitan areas where the epidemics are focused. African-Americans are also disproportionately affected by HIV, with a rate of new infection 7.9 times higher than the rate in whites. Both of these trends reveal themselves in the latest data — states with the highest rates of new infection are home to both major metropolitan areas and a high population of African-Americans. Knowing which populations and geographical areas are most at risk for HIV infection allows health care providers and policymakers to delegate resources and funds to where they are most needed, hopefully bringing us forward in the fight to end HIV/AIDS.

The map below details each state’s incidence of HIV: