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

Health

be 97.9% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Swaziland, 23.4% 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 74.0% less likely to be obese

In Swaziland, 29.6% 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 68.8% less likely to die by suicide

Swaziland has a suicide rate of 27.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Burkina Faso, it is 8.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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live 3.0 years less

In Swaziland, the average life expectancy is 64 years (61 years for men, 67 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 75.7% less spent on your healthcare

Swaziland spends $922 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Burkina Faso spends $224 as of 2023.

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have 73.4% fewer doctors per person

Swaziland has 5.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Burkina Faso has 1.5 as of 2022.

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have 28.6% less access to essential health services

Swaziland scores 56 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Burkina Faso scores 40 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 89.8% less likely to be unemployed

In Swaziland, 34.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Burkina Faso, that number is 3.5% as of 2025.

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be 19.3% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Swaziland, 53.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Burkina Faso, however, that number is 43.2% as of 2021.

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make 72.1% less money

Swaziland has a GDP per capita of $4,108 as of 2025, while in Burkina Faso, the GDP per capita is $1,148 as of 2025.

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Life

have 32.5% more children

In Swaziland, there are approximately 23.6 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 2.1 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Swaziland, approximately 118.0 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 54.2% less likely to be literate

In Swaziland, the literacy rate is 90.8% as of 2022. In Burkina Faso, it is 41.6% as of 2023.

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Basic Needs

be 74.9% less likely to have access to electricity

In Swaziland, approximately 86% of people have electricity access (91% in urban areas, and 85% 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 55.4% less likely to have internet access

In Swaziland, approximately 63.4% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, about 28.2% do as of 2024.

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be 37.8% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Swaziland, approximately 80% of people have access to drinking water (98% in urban areas, and 74% 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 11.6% less on education

Swaziland spends 6.0% 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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Safety

be 12.6% more likely to die in a road accident

In Swaziland, road accidents kill 24.7 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

live with 89.9% less strain on fresh water

Swaziland withdraws 78% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Burkina Faso withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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find 66.1% less home broadband

Swaziland has 2.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Burkina Faso has 0.8 as of 2024.

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use 88.9% less electricity

Swaziland uses 1,200 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Burkina Faso uses 133 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 69.3% less CO2

Swaziland emits 0.9 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Burkina Faso emits 0.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 27.3% more likely to die from air pollution

In Swaziland, air pollution causes 66.0 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). 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 Swaziland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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