If you lived in Burkina Faso instead of Algeria, you would:

Health

be 67.4% less likely to be obese

In Algeria, 23.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, that number is 7.7% of people as of 2024.

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live 15.2 years less

In Algeria, the average life expectancy is 76 years (75 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, that number is 61 years (59 years for men, 63 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 69.4% less spent on your healthcare

Algeria spends $732 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Burkina Faso spends $224 as of 2023.

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have 91.1% fewer doctors per person

Algeria has 16.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Burkina Faso has 1.5 as of 2022.

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have 45.9% less access to essential health services

Algeria scores 74 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Burkina Faso scores 40 as of 2021.

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be 3.9 times more likely to die by suicide

Algeria has a suicide rate of 2.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Burkina Faso, it is 8.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 70.1% less likely to be unemployed

In Algeria, 11.6% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Burkina Faso, that number is 3.5% as of 2025.

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make 81.0% less money

Algeria has a GDP per capita of $6,051 as of 2025, while in Burkina Faso, the GDP per capita is $1,148 as of 2025.

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Life

have 66.3% more children

In Algeria, there are approximately 18.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, there are 31.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 3.9 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Algeria, approximately 62.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Burkina Faso, 242.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 2.2 times more likely to die during infancy

In Algeria, approximately 19.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, on the other hand, 43.6 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 78.3% less likely to have access to electricity

In Algeria, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Burkina Faso, that number is 22% of people on average (63% in urban areas, and 2% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 63.5% less likely to have internet access

In Algeria, approximately 77.4% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, about 28.2% do as of 2024.

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be 45.9% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Algeria, approximately 92% of people have access to drinking water (95% in urban areas, and 85% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, that number is 50% of people on average (81% in urban areas, and 34% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 40.6% less on education

Algeria spends 9.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Burkina Faso spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 79.3% more on healthcare

Algeria spends 4.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Burkina Faso, that number is 7.8% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 51.9% more likely to die in a road accident

In Algeria, road accidents kill 18.3 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Burkina Faso, they kill 27.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 94.6% less strain on fresh water

Algeria withdraws 145% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Burkina Faso withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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find 93.6% less home broadband

Algeria has 13.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Burkina Faso has 0.8 as of 2024.

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use 92.7% less electricity

Algeria uses 1,828 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Burkina Faso uses 133 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 93.2% less CO2

Algeria emits 4.0 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Burkina Faso emits 0.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 75.0% more likely to die from air pollution

In Algeria, air pollution causes 48.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Burkina Faso, it causes 84.0 as of 2019.

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

Burkina Faso: At a glance

Burkina Faso is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 273,800 sq km. Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Current President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987 military coup and has won every election since then. There have been increasing protests over the belief that the president may try to run for a currently unconstitutional third term in the 2015 presidential elections. Burkina Faso's high population growth and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens.
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How big is Burkina Faso compared to Algeria? See an in-depth size comparison.

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