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

Health

live 6.5 years longer

In Burkina Faso, the average life expectancy is 61 years (59 years for men, 63 years for women) as of 2024. In Pakistan, that number is 68 years (65 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024.

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have 7.8 times more doctors per person

Burkina Faso has 1.5 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Pakistan has 11.6 as of 2021.

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have 12.5% more access to essential health services

Burkina Faso scores 40 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Pakistan scores 45 as of 2021.

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be 33.6% less likely to die by suicide

Burkina Faso has a suicide rate of 8.5 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Pakistan, it is 5.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 3.2 times more likely to be obese

In Burkina Faso, 7.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Pakistan, that number is 24.5% of people as of 2024.

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see 32.1% less spent on your healthcare

Burkina Faso spends $224 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Pakistan spends $152 as of 2023.

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Economy

be 33.1% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Burkina Faso, 43.2% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Pakistan, however, that number is 28.9% as of 2024.

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make 39.1% more money

Burkina Faso has a GDP per capita of $1,148 as of 2025, while in Pakistan, the GDP per capita is $1,596 as of 2025.

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be 55.7% more likely to be unemployed

In Burkina Faso, 3.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Pakistan, that number is 5.4% as of 2025.

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Life

be 36.0% 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 Pakistan, 155.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 41.6% more likely to be literate

In Burkina Faso, the literacy rate is 41.6% as of 2023. In Pakistan, it is 58.9% as of 2021.

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be 10.6% more 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 Pakistan, on the other hand, 48.2 children do as of 2024.

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have 12.5% fewer children

In Burkina Faso, there are approximately 31.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Pakistan, there are 27.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 4.4 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 Pakistan, that number is 96% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 93% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 2.0 times more likely to have internet access

In Burkina Faso, approximately 28.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Pakistan, about 57.2% do as of 2024.

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be 81.4% 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 Pakistan, that number is 91% of people on average (93% in urban areas, and 89% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 63.4% less on education

Burkina Faso spends 5.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Pakistan spends 1.9% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 67.7% less on healthcare

Burkina Faso spends 7.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Pakistan, that number is 2.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 57.2% less likely to die in a road accident

In Burkina Faso, road accidents kill 27.8 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Pakistan, they kill 11.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 72.9% more home broadband

Burkina Faso has 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Pakistan has 1.5 as of 2024.

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use 3.9 times more electricity

Burkina Faso uses 133 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Pakistan uses 518 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 14.1 times more strain on fresh water

Burkina Faso withdraws 8% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Pakistan withdraws 110% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 25.0% more likely to die from air pollution

In Burkina Faso, air pollution causes 84.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Pakistan, it causes 105.0 as of 2019.

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emit 3.0 times more CO2

Burkina Faso emits 0.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Pakistan emits 0.8 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

Pakistan: At a glance

Pakistan is a sovereign country in South Asia, with a total land area of approximately 770,875 sq km. The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. India-Pakistan relations have been rocky since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, but both countries are taking small steps to put relations back on track. In February 2008, Pakistan held parliamentary elections and in September 2008, after the resignation of former President MUSHARRAF, elected Asif Ali ZARDARI to the presidency. Pakistani government and military leaders are struggling to control domestic insurgents, many of whom are located in the tribal areas adjacent to the border with Afghanistan.
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