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

Health

be 41.4% less likely to die by suicide

Burundi has a suicide rate of 7.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Niger, it is 4.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

live 2.4 years less

In Burundi, the average life expectancy is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2024. In Niger, that number is 61 years (60 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 30.7% more likely to be obese

In Burundi, 5.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Niger, that number is 6.8% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

see 23.6% less spent on your healthcare

Burundi spends $100 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Niger spends $76 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 51.3% fewer doctors per person

Burundi has 0.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Niger has 0.4 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 14.6% less access to essential health services

Burundi scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Niger scores 35 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Economy

be 57.6% less likely to be unemployed

In Burundi, 0.9% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Niger, that number is 0.4% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

be 19.2% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Burundi, 51.0% live below the poverty line as of 2020. In Niger, however, that number is 41.2% as of 2021.

View global rankings →

make 3.3 times more money

Burundi has a GDP per capita of $234 as of 2025, while in Niger, the GDP per capita is $775 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

have 24.7% more children

In Burundi, there are approximately 33.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Niger, there are 41.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 52.3% less likely to be literate

In Burundi, the literacy rate is 74.7% as of 2021. In Niger, it is 35.6% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

be 2.2 times 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 Niger, on the other hand, 65.6 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 73.3% 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 Niger, that number is 20% of people on average (67% in urban areas, and 10% in rural areas) as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 80.9% more likely to have internet access

In Burundi, approximately 8.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Niger, about 15.6% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 18.9% 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 Niger, that number is 53% of people on average (87% in urban areas, and 46% in rural areas) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 55.4% less on healthcare

Burundi spends 9.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Niger, that number is 4.0% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Safety

be 2.0 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Burundi, road accidents kill 12.3 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Niger, they kill 24.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

find 5.5 times more home broadband

Burundi has 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Niger has 0.1 as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Environment

be 31.0% more likely to die from air pollution

In Burundi, air pollution causes 71.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Niger, it causes 93.0 as of 2019.

View global rankings →

emit 71.4% more CO2

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

View global rankings →


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

Niger: At a glance

Niger is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 1,266,700 sq km. Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999, BARE was killed in a counter coup by military officers who restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004 and in 2009 spearheaded a constitutional amendment that would allow him to extend his term as president. In February 2010, a military coup deposed TANDJA, immediately suspended the constitution, and dissolved the Cabinet. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou emerged victorious from a crowded field in the election following the coup and was inaugurated in April 2011. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. The Nigerien Movement for Justice, a predominantly ethnic Tuareg rebel group, emerged in February 2007, and attacked several military targets in Niger's northern region throughout 2007 and 2008. Successful government offensives in 2009 ended the rebellion. Niger is facing increased security concerns on its borders from various external threats including insecurity in Libya, spillover from the conflict in Mali, and violent extremism in northeastern Nigeria.
Read more

How big is Niger compared to Burundi? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

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