If you lived in Burundi instead of Afghanistan, you would:

Health

be 74.8% less likely to be obese

In Afghanistan, 20.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Burundi, that number is 5.2% of people as of 2024.

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live 2.5 years less

In Afghanistan, the average life expectancy is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024. In Burundi, that number is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 69.7% less spent on your healthcare

Afghanistan spends $330 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Burundi spends $100 as of 2023.

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have 75.4% fewer doctors per person

Afghanistan has 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Burundi has 0.8 as of 2022.

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be 2.1 times more likely to die by suicide

Afghanistan has a suicide rate of 3.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Burundi, it is 7.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 93.1% less likely to be unemployed

In Afghanistan, 13.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Burundi, that number is 0.9% as of 2025.

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make 43.9% less money

Afghanistan has a GDP per capita of $417 as of 2024, while in Burundi, the GDP per capita is $234 as of 2025.

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Life

be 24.8% less likely to die during childbirth

In Afghanistan, approximately 521.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Burundi, 392.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 2.0 times more likely to be literate

In Afghanistan, the literacy rate is 37.3% as of 2021. In Burundi, it is 74.7% as of 2021.

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be 36.9% less likely to die during infancy

In Afghanistan, approximately 48.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Burundi, on the other hand, 30.5 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 86.4% less likely to have access to electricity

In Afghanistan, approximately 85% of people have electricity access (96% in urban areas, and 81% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Burundi, that number is 12% of people on average (65% in urban areas, and 2% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 46.6% less likely to have internet access

In Afghanistan, approximately 16.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Burundi, about 8.6% do as of 2024.

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be 18.4% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Afghanistan, approximately 81% of people have access to drinking water (97% in urban areas, and 75% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Burundi, that number is 66% of people on average (91% in urban areas, and 61% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 39.4% less on healthcare

Afghanistan spends 15.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Burundi, that number is 9.1% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 49.0% less likely to die in a road accident

In Afghanistan, road accidents kill 24.1 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Burundi, they kill 12.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 81.4% less strain on fresh water

Afghanistan withdraws 55% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Burundi withdraws 10% as of 2022.

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find 75.0% less home broadband

Afghanistan has 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Burundi has 0.0 as of 2023.

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Environment

be 50.3% less likely to die from air pollution

In Afghanistan, air pollution causes 143.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Burundi, it causes 71.0 as of 2019.

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emit 75.0% less CO2

Afghanistan emits 0.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Burundi emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

Burundi: At a glance

Burundi is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 25,680 sq km. Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office, triggering widespread ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. More than 200,000 Burundians perished during the conflict that spanned almost a dozen years. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians were internally displaced or became refugees in neighboring countries. An internationally brokered power-sharing agreement between the Tutsi-dominated government and the Hutu rebels in 2003 paved the way for a transition process that led to an integrated defense force, established a new constitution in 2005, and elected a majority Hutu government in 2005. The government of President Pierre NKURUNZIZA, who was reelected in 2010, continues to face many political and economic challenges.
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