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

Health

live 12.5 years longer

In Burkina Faso, the average life expectancy is 61 years (59 years for men, 63 years for women) as of 2024. In Mauritius, that number is 74 years (70 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 7.0 times more spent on your healthcare

Burkina Faso spends $224 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Mauritius spends $1,566 as of 2023.

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have 9.7 times more doctors per person

Burkina Faso has 1.5 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Mauritius has 14.4 as of 2022.

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have 65.0% more access to essential health services

Burkina Faso scores 40 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Mauritius scores 66 as of 2021.

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be 2.7 times more likely to be obese

In Burkina Faso, 7.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Mauritius, that number is 21.1% of people as of 2024.

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be 23.8% more likely to die by suicide

Burkina Faso has a suicide rate of 8.5 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Mauritius, it is 10.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 80.6% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Burkina Faso, 43.2% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Mauritius, however, that number is 8.4% as of 2023.

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make 11.3 times more money

Burkina Faso has a GDP per capita of $1,148 as of 2025, while in Mauritius, the GDP per capita is $12,991 as of 2025.

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be 61.8% more likely to be unemployed

In Burkina Faso, 3.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Mauritius, that number is 5.6% as of 2025.

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Life

be 72.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In Burkina Faso, approximately 242.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Mauritius, 66.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 2.3 times more likely to be literate

In Burkina Faso, the literacy rate is 41.6% as of 2023. In Mauritius, it is 94.3% as of 2023.

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be 68.3% less likely to die during infancy

In Burkina Faso, approximately 43.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Mauritius, on the other hand, 13.8 children do as of 2024.

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have 67.1% fewer children

In Burkina Faso, there are approximately 31.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Mauritius, there are 10.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 4.6 times more likely to have access to electricity

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

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be 2.6 times more likely to have internet access

In Burkina Faso, approximately 28.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Mauritius, about 73.3% do as of 2024.

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be 99.9% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Burkina Faso, approximately 50% of people have access to drinking water (81% in urban areas, and 34% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Mauritius, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 20.3% less on education

Burkina Faso spends 5.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Mauritius spends 4.2% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 28.6% less on healthcare

Burkina Faso spends 7.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Mauritius, that number is 5.6% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 65.1% less likely to die in a road accident

In Burkina Faso, road accidents kill 27.8 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Mauritius, they kill 9.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 32.9 times more home broadband

Burkina Faso has 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Mauritius has 28.0 as of 2024.

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use 18.5 times more electricity

Burkina Faso uses 133 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Mauritius uses 2,465 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 2.9 times more strain on fresh water

Burkina Faso withdraws 8% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Mauritius withdraws 23% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 66.7% less likely to die from air pollution

In Burkina Faso, air pollution causes 84.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Mauritius, it causes 28.0 as of 2019.

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emit 13.1 times more CO2

Burkina Faso emits 0.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Mauritius emits 3.5 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Mauritius: At a glance

Mauritius is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 2,030 sq km. Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. Independence from the UK was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes.
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How big is Mauritius compared to Burkina Faso? See an in-depth size comparison.

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