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

Health

be 83.3% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Kenya, 3.0% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, that number is 0.5% of people as of 2024.

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be 31.8% less likely to be obese

In Kenya, 11.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, that number is 7.7% of people as of 2024.

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live 2.5 years less

In Kenya, 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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see 18.4% less spent on your healthcare

Kenya spends $274 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Burkina Faso spends $224 as of 2023.

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have 48.8% fewer doctors per person

Kenya has 2.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Burkina Faso has 1.5 as of 2022.

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have 24.5% less access to essential health services

Kenya scores 53 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Burkina Faso scores 40 as of 2021.

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be 85.6% more likely to die by suicide

Kenya has a suicide rate of 4.6 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 36.1% less likely to be unemployed

In Kenya, 5.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Burkina Faso, that number is 3.5% as of 2025.

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make 51.4% less money

Kenya has a GDP per capita of $2,363 as of 2025, while in Burkina Faso, the GDP per capita is $1,148 as of 2025.

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Life

have 16.2% more children

In Kenya, there are approximately 27.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, there are 31.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 62.4% more likely to die during childbirth

In Kenya, approximately 149.0 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 49.7% less likely to be literate

In Kenya, the literacy rate is 82.6% as of 2021. In Burkina Faso, it is 41.6% as of 2023.

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be 27.5% more likely to die during infancy

In Kenya, approximately 34.2 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 71.5% less likely to have access to electricity

In Kenya, approximately 76% of people have electricity access (96% in urban areas, and 68% 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 19.2% less likely to have internet access

In Kenya, approximately 35.0% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, about 28.2% do as of 2024.

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be 23.8% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Kenya, approximately 66% of people have access to drinking water (89% in urban areas, and 56% 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 32.6% more on education

Kenya spends 4.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Burkina Faso spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 79.3% more on healthcare

Kenya spends 4.3% 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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Infrastructure

live with 76.5% less strain on fresh water

Kenya withdraws 33% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Burkina Faso withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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find 72.0% less home broadband

Kenya has 3.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Burkina Faso has 0.8 as of 2024.

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use 31.7% less electricity

Kenya uses 195 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Burkina Faso uses 133 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 28.9% less CO2

Kenya emits 0.4 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Burkina Faso emits 0.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 2.5 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Kenya, air pollution causes 33.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Burkina Faso, it causes 84.0 as of 2019.

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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

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 Kenya? See an in-depth size comparison.

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