If you lived in Central African Republic instead of Burundi, you would:

Health

see 36.6% more spent on your healthcare

Burundi spends $100 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Central African Republic spends $137 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 3.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Burundi, 0.8% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 2.4% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

live 6.1 years less

In Burundi, the average life expectancy is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 58 years (56 years for men, 60 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 2.1 times more likely to be obese

In Burundi, 5.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Central African Republic, that number is 10.9% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

have 22.0% less access to essential health services

Burundi scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Central African Republic scores 32 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

be 20.1% more likely to die by suicide

Burundi has a suicide rate of 7.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Central African Republic, it is 9.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Economy

make 2.4 times more money

Burundi has a GDP per capita of $234 as of 2025, while in Central African Republic, the GDP per capita is $556 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

be 6.8 times more likely to be unemployed

In Burundi, 0.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Central African Republic, that number is 6.2% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

be 34.9% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Burundi, 51.0% live below the poverty line as of 2020. In Central African Republic, however, that number is 68.8% as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Life

have 39.1% more children

In Burundi, there are approximately 33.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Central African Republic, there are 46.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 76.5% more 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 Central African Republic, 692.0 women do as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 49.8% less likely to be literate

In Burundi, the literacy rate is 74.7% as of 2021. In Central African Republic, it is 37.5% as of 2020.

View global rankings →

be 92.8% 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 Central African Republic, on the other hand, 58.8 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 51.7% 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 Central African Republic, that number is 18% of people on average (37% in urban areas, and 2% in rural areas) as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 60.2% more likely to have internet access

In Burundi, approximately 8.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Central African Republic, about 13.8% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 44.6% 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 Central African Republic, that number is 36% of people on average (48% in urban areas, and 27% in rural areas) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 59.3% less on education

Burundi spends 4.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2025. Central African Republic spends 1.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

View global rankings →

spend 17.3% more on healthcare

Burundi spends 9.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Central African Republic, that number is 10.7% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Safety

be 3.6 times more likely to be murdered

Burundi has a homicide rate of 5.7 per 100,000 people as of 2016. In Central African Republic, that number is 20.1 per 100,000 as of 2016.

View global rankings →

be 2.1 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Burundi, road accidents kill 12.3 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Central African Republic, they kill 25.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

live with 96.7% less strain on fresh water

Burundi withdraws 10% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Central African Republic withdraws 0% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Environment

emit 14.3% less CO2

Burundi emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Central African Republic emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 38.0% more likely to die from air pollution

In Burundi, air pollution causes 71.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Central African Republic, it causes 98.0 as of 2019.

View global rankings →


Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2020–2021). How we calculate this

Central African Republic: At a glance

Central African Republic is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 622,984 sq km. The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. In March, 2003 President Ange-Felix PATASSE was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Elections held in 2005 affirmed General BOZIZE as president; he was reelected in 2011 in voting widely viewed as flawed. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. The militant group the Lord's Resistance Army continues to destabilize southeastern Central African Republic, and several rebel groups joined together in early December 2012 to launch a series of attacks that left them in control of numerous towns in the northern and central parts of the country. The rebels - who are unhappy with BOZIZE's government - participated in peace talks in early January 2013 which resulted in a coalition government including the rebellion's leadership. In March 2013, the coalition government dissolved, rebels seized the capital, and President BOZIZE fled the country. Rebel leader Michel DJOTODIA assumed the presidency, reappointed Nicolas TIANGAYE as Prime Minister, and established a transitional government on 31 March. On 13 April 2013, the National Transitional Council affirmed DJOTODIA as President.
Read more

How big is Central African Republic compared to Burundi? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Central African Republic or Burundi. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.