If you lived in Namibia instead of Burundi, you would:

Health

live 3.7 years longer

In Burundi, the average life expectancy is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2024. In Namibia, that number is 68 years (63 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 10.7 times more spent on your healthcare

Burundi spends $100 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Namibia spends $1,068 as of 2023.

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have 7.1 times more doctors per person

Burundi has 0.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Namibia has 5.5 as of 2022.

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have 53.7% more access to essential health services

Burundi scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Namibia scores 63 as of 2021.

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be 11.2 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Burundi, 0.8% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Namibia, that number is 9.0% of people as of 2024.

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be 3.5 times more likely to be obese

In Burundi, 5.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Namibia, that number is 18.3% of people as of 2024.

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be 12.3% more likely to die by suicide

Burundi has a suicide rate of 7.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Namibia, it is 8.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 20.9 times more money

Burundi has a GDP per capita of $234 as of 2025, while in Namibia, the GDP per capita is $4,876 as of 2025.

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be 21.0 times more likely to be unemployed

In Burundi, 0.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Namibia, that number is 19.3% as of 2025.

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Life

be 64.5% 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 Namibia, 139.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 17.3% more likely to be literate

In Burundi, the literacy rate is 74.7% as of 2021. In Namibia, it is 87.6% as of 2023.

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be 19.3% 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 Namibia, on the other hand, 36.4 children do as of 2024.

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have 22.0% fewer children

In Burundi, there are approximately 33.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Namibia, there are 25.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 4.9 times 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 Namibia, that number is 57% of people on average (75% in urban areas, and 34% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 7.5 times more likely to have internet access

In Burundi, approximately 8.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Namibia, about 64.9% do as of 2024.

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be 31.2% more 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 Namibia, that number is 87% of people on average (96% in urban areas, and 74% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 2.0 times more on education

Burundi spends 4.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2025. Namibia spends 9.1% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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Safety

be 78.9% more likely to die in a road accident

In Burundi, road accidents kill 12.3 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Namibia, they kill 22.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 141.5 times more home broadband

Burundi has 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Namibia has 2.8 as of 2024.

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live with 97.0% less strain on fresh water

Burundi withdraws 10% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Namibia withdraws 0% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 39.4% less likely to die from air pollution

In Burundi, air pollution causes 71.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Namibia, it causes 43.0 as of 2019.

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emit 17.1 times more CO2

Burundi emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Namibia emits 1.2 tonnes as of 2024.

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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

Namibia: At a glance

Namibia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 823,290 sq km. South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that became Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia has been governed by SWAPO since the country won independence in 1990. Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country during its first 14 years of self rule. POHAMBA was reelected in November 2009.
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How big is Namibia compared to Burundi? See an in-depth size comparison.

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