Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Burma instead of Mali, you would:

Health

live 6.4 years longer

In Mali, the average life expectancy is 61 years (59 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2024. In Burma, that number is 67 years (64 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 38.8% less likely to be obese

In Mali, 13.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Burma, that number is 8.1% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

see 2.7 times more spent on your healthcare

Mali spends $104 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Burma spends $283 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 26.8% more access to essential health services

Mali scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Burma scores 52 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

be 30.5% less likely to die by suicide

Mali has a suicide rate of 4.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Burma, it is 2.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Economy

make 24.8% more money

Mali has a GDP per capita of $1,193 as of 2025, while in Burma, the GDP per capita is $1,489 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

be 49.6% less likely to die during childbirth

In Mali, approximately 367.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Burma, 185.0 women do as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 30.9% less likely to die during infancy

In Mali, approximately 47.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Burma, on the other hand, 32.8 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

have 58.4% fewer children

In Mali, there are approximately 39.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Burma, there are 16.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 40.9% more likely to have access to electricity

In Mali, approximately 54% of people have electricity access (92% in urban areas, and 23% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Burma, that number is 77% of people on average (95% in urban areas, and 69% in rural areas) as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 19.6% more likely to have internet access

In Mali, approximately 36.8% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Burma, about 44.0% do as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 17.1% more on healthcare

Mali spends 3.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Burma, that number is 4.5% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

find 3.7 times more home broadband

Mali has 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Burma has 2.9 as of 2024.

View global rankings →

live with 27.5% less strain on fresh water

Mali withdraws 8% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Burma withdraws 6% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Environment

emit 93.3% more CO2

Mali emits 0.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Burma emits 0.6 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →

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

Compare further: Mali vs. Burma

Cost of Living Comparison · 5 categories - 2026 data
Burma is 24.3% more expensive than Mali overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
Mali is about 1.8 times bigger than Burma.
→

Burma: At a glance

Burma is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 653,508 sq km. Various ethnic Burmese and ethnic minority city-states or kingdoms occupied the present borders through the 19th century. Over a period of 62 years (1824-1886), Britain conquered Burma and incorporated the country into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; in 1948, Burma attained independence from the British Commonwealth. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. In response to widespread civil unrest, NE WIN resigned in 1988, but within months the military crushed student-led protests and took power. Multiparty legislative elections in 1990 resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory. Instead of handing over power, the junta placed NLD leader (and Nobel Peace Prize recipient) AUNG SAN SUU KYI (ASSK) under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, 2000 to 2002, and from May 2003 to November 2010. In late September 2007, the ruling junta brutally suppressed protests over increased fuel prices led by prodemocracy activists and Buddhist monks, killing at least 13 people and arresting thousands for participating in the demonstrations. In early May 2008, Burma was struck by Cyclone Nargis, which left over 138,000 dead and tens of thousands injured and homeless. Despite this tragedy, the junta proceeded with its May constitutional referendum, the first vote in Burma since 1990. Parliamentary elections held in November 2010, considered flawed by many in the international community, saw the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party garner over 75% of the seats. Parliament convened in January 2011 and selected former Prime Minister THEIN SEIN as president. Although the vast majority of national-level appointees named by THEIN SEIN are former or current military officers, the government has initiated a series of political and economic reforms leading to a substantial opening of the long-isolated country. These reforms have included allowing ASSK to contest parliamentary by-elections on 1 April 2012, releasing hundreds of political prisoners, reaching preliminary peace agreements with 10 of the 11 major armed ethnic groups, enacting laws that provide better protections for basic human rights, and gradually reducing restrictions on freedom of the press, association, and civil society. At least due in part to these reforms, ASSK now serves as an elected Member of Parliament and chair of the Committee for Rule of Law and Tranquility. Most political parties have begun building their institutions in preparation for the next round of general elections in 2015. The country is the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2014.
Read more

How big is Burma compared to Mali? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

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