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

Health

see 2.2 times more spent on your healthcare

Burundi spends $100 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Burkina Faso spends $224 as of 2023.

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have 89.7% more doctors per person

Burundi has 0.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Burkina Faso has 1.5 as of 2022.

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live 2.5 years less

In Burundi, the average life expectancy is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 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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be 48.5% more likely to be obese

In Burundi, 5.2% 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 11.1% more likely to die by suicide

Burundi has a suicide rate of 7.7 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 15.3% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Burundi, 51.0% live below the poverty line as of 2020. In Burkina Faso, however, that number is 43.2% as of 2021.

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make 4.9 times more money

Burundi has a GDP per capita of $234 as of 2025, while in Burkina Faso, the GDP per capita is $1,148 as of 2025.

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be 3.8 times more likely to be unemployed

In Burundi, 0.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Burkina Faso, that number is 3.5% as of 2025.

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Life

be 38.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Burundi, approximately 392.0 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 44.4% less likely to be literate

In Burundi, the literacy rate is 74.7% as of 2021. In Burkina Faso, it is 41.6% as of 2023.

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be 43.0% more likely to die during infancy

In Burundi, approximately 30.5 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 87.1% more likely to have access to electricity

In Burundi, approximately 12% of people have electricity access (65% in urban areas, and 2% 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 3.3 times more likely to have internet access

In Burundi, approximately 8.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, about 28.2% do as of 2024.

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be 24.2% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Burundi, approximately 66% of people have access to drinking water (91% in urban areas, and 61% 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 14.2% less on healthcare

Burundi spends 9.1% 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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spend 18.4% more on education

Burundi spends 4.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2025. Burkina Faso spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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Safety

be 77.9% less likely to be murdered

Burundi has a homicide rate of 5.7 per 100,000 people as of 2016. In Burkina Faso, that number is 1.2 per 100,000 as of 2017.

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be 2.3 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Burundi, road accidents kill 12.3 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

find 42.5 times more home broadband

Burundi has 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Burkina Faso has 0.8 as of 2024.

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live with 23.3% less strain on fresh water

Burundi withdraws 10% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Burkina Faso withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 18.3% more likely to die from air pollution

In Burundi, air pollution causes 71.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Burkina Faso, it causes 84.0 as of 2019.

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emit 3.9 times more CO2

Burundi emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Burkina Faso emits 0.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), 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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How big is Burkina Faso compared to Burundi? See an in-depth size comparison.

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