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

Health

be 96.8% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Botswana, 15.7% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, that number is 0.5% of people as of 2024.

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be 61.1% less likely to be obese

In Botswana, 19.8% 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 8.0 years less

In Botswana, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 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 82.9% less spent on your healthcare

Botswana spends $1,310 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Burkina Faso spends $224 as of 2023.

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have 60.9% fewer doctors per person

Botswana has 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Burkina Faso has 1.5 as of 2022.

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have 27.3% less access to essential health services

Botswana scores 55 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Burkina Faso scores 40 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 85.8% less likely to be unemployed

In Botswana, 24.5% 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 85.2% less money

Botswana has a GDP per capita of $7,778 as of 2025, while in Burkina Faso, the GDP per capita is $1,148 as of 2025.

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Life

have 28.7% more children

In Botswana, there are approximately 24.4 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 56.1% more likely to die during childbirth

In Botswana, approximately 155.0 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 35.8% more likely to die during infancy

In Botswana, approximately 32.1 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 71.4% less likely to have access to electricity

In Botswana, approximately 76% of people have electricity access (98% in urban areas, and 25% 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 50.8% less likely to have internet access

In Botswana, approximately 57.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, about 28.2% do as of 2024.

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be 45.5% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Botswana, approximately 92% of people have access to drinking water (97% in urban areas, and 78% 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 33.9% less on education

Botswana spends 8.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Burkina Faso spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 24.6% more on healthcare

Botswana spends 6.3% 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 68.5% more likely to die in a road accident

In Botswana, road accidents kill 16.5 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

find 88.6% less home broadband

Botswana has 7.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Burkina Faso has 0.8 as of 2024.

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live with 3.5 times more strain on fresh water

Botswana withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Burkina Faso withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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use 91.9% less electricity

Botswana uses 1,641 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Burkina Faso uses 133 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 90.1% less CO2

Botswana emits 2.7 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Burkina Faso emits 0.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 52.7% more likely to die from air pollution

In Botswana, air pollution causes 55.0 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 (2020–2025), 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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