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

Health

see 2.9 times more spent on your healthcare

Niger spends $76 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Burkina Faso spends $224 as of 2023.

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have 3.9 times more doctors per person

Niger has 0.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Burkina Faso has 1.5 as of 2022.

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have 14.3% more access to essential health services

Niger scores 35 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Burkina Faso scores 40 as of 2021.

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be 13.6% more likely to be obese

In Niger, 6.8% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, that number is 7.7% of people as of 2024.

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be 89.7% more likely to die by suicide

Niger has a suicide rate of 4.5 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

make 48.0% more money

Niger has a GDP per capita of $775 as of 2025, while in Burkina Faso, the GDP per capita is $1,148 as of 2025.

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be 8.9 times more likely to be unemployed

In Niger, 0.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Burkina Faso, that number is 3.5% as of 2025.

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Life

be 30.9% less likely to die during childbirth

In Niger, approximately 350.0 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 16.7% more likely to be literate

In Niger, the literacy rate is 35.6% as of 2022. In Burkina Faso, it is 41.6% as of 2023.

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be 33.5% less likely to die during infancy

In Niger, approximately 65.6 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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have 24.3% fewer children

In Niger, there are approximately 41.4 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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Basic Needs

be 81.6% more likely to have internet access

In Niger, approximately 15.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, about 28.2% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 31.0% more on education

Niger spends 4.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Burkina Faso spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 92.6% more on healthcare

Niger spends 4.0% 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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Safety

be 11.6% more likely to die in a road accident

In Niger, road accidents kill 24.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Burkina Faso, they kill 27.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 7.7 times more home broadband

Niger has 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Burkina Faso has 0.8 as of 2024.

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live with 29.0% less strain on fresh water

Niger withdraws 11% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Burkina Faso withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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use 96.8% more electricity

Niger uses 68 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Burkina Faso uses 133 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 2.2 times more CO2

Niger emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Burkina Faso emits 0.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021), World Health Organization (2024). 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 Niger? See an in-depth size comparison.

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