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

Health

be 65.4% less likely to be obese

In Turkmenistan, 22.2% 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 8.9 years less

In Turkmenistan, the average life expectancy is 70 years (67 years for men, 73 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 82.3% less spent on your healthcare

Turkmenistan spends $1,264 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Burkina Faso spends $224 as of 2023.

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have 92.3% fewer doctors per person

Turkmenistan has 19.3 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Burkina Faso has 1.5 as of 2022.

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have 46.7% less access to essential health services

Turkmenistan scores 75 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Burkina Faso scores 40 as of 2021.

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be 24.5% more likely to die by suicide

Turkmenistan has a suicide rate of 6.8 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 18.5% less likely to be unemployed

In Turkmenistan, 4.3% 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 82.5% less money

Turkmenistan has a GDP per capita of $6,540 as of 2025, while in Burkina Faso, the GDP per capita is $1,148 as of 2025.

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Life

have 49.9% more children

In Turkmenistan, there are approximately 20.9 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 48.4 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Turkmenistan, approximately 5.0 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 58.4% less likely to be literate

In Turkmenistan, the literacy rate is 99.9% as of 2022. In Burkina Faso, it is 41.6% as of 2023.

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be 43.4% more likely to die during infancy

In Turkmenistan, approximately 30.4 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 11.7% more likely to have internet access

In Turkmenistan, approximately 25.3% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Burkina Faso, about 28.2% do as of 2024.

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be 78.3% less likely to have access to electricity

In Turkmenistan, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% 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 50.0% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Turkmenistan, approximately 100% of people have access to drinking water (100% in urban areas, and 100% 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 24.2% more on education

Turkmenistan spends 4.3% 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 41.8% more on healthcare

Turkmenistan spends 5.5% 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 23.8% more likely to be murdered

Turkmenistan has a homicide rate of 1.0 per 100,000 people as of 2015. In Burkina Faso, that number is 1.2 per 100,000 as of 2017.

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be 3.5 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Turkmenistan, road accidents kill 8.0 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 94.2% less strain on fresh water

Turkmenistan withdraws 135% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Burkina Faso withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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find 83.7% less home broadband

Turkmenistan has 5.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Burkina Faso has 0.8 as of 2024.

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use 95.2% less electricity

Turkmenistan uses 2,778 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Burkina Faso uses 133 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 97.5% less CO2

Turkmenistan emits 10.9 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 (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2022). 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 Turkmenistan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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