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

Health

be 62.2% less likely to be obese

In Bulgaria, 20.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, that number is 7.7% of people as of 2024.

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be 10.6% less likely to die by suicide

Bulgaria has a suicide rate of 9.5 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Burkina Faso, it is 8.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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live 14.5 years less

In Bulgaria, the average life expectancy is 76 years (72 years for men, 80 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 92.5% less spent on your healthcare

Bulgaria spends $2,970 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Burkina Faso spends $224 as of 2023.

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have 96.6% fewer doctors per person

Bulgaria has 43.3 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Burkina Faso has 1.5 as of 2022.

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have 45.2% less access to essential health services

Bulgaria scores 73 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 2.0 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Bulgaria, 21.2% live below the poverty line as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, however, that number is 43.2% as of 2021.

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make 94.4% less money

Bulgaria has a GDP per capita of $20,328 as of 2025, while in Burkina Faso, the GDP per capita is $1,148 as of 2025.

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Life

have 3.8 times more children

In Bulgaria, there are approximately 8.3 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 40.3 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Bulgaria, approximately 6.0 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 57.8% less likely to be literate

In Bulgaria, the literacy rate is 98.4% as of 2021. In Burkina Faso, it is 41.6% as of 2023.

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be 9.5 times more likely to die during infancy

In Bulgaria, approximately 4.6 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 Bulgaria, 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 65.7% less likely to have internet access

In Bulgaria, approximately 82.4% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, about 28.2% do as of 2024.

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be 49.6% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Bulgaria, approximately 99% of people have access to drinking water (100% in urban areas, and 98% 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 18.4% more on education

Bulgaria spends 4.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Burkina Faso spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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Safety

be 3.3 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Bulgaria, road accidents kill 8.4 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 80.6% less strain on fresh water

Bulgaria withdraws 40% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Burkina Faso withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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find 97.7% less home broadband

Bulgaria has 37.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Burkina Faso has 0.8 as of 2024.

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use 97.5% less electricity

Bulgaria uses 5,360 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Burkina Faso uses 133 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 94.9% less CO2

Bulgaria emits 5.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Burkina Faso emits 0.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 33.3% more likely to die from air pollution

In Bulgaria, air pollution causes 63.0 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), The World Factbook (2021). 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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