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

Health

be 42.3% less likely to be obese

In Yemen, 13.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Burkina Faso, that number is 7.7% of people as of 2024.

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see 32.6% more spent on your healthcare

Yemen spends $169 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Burkina Faso spends $224 as of 2023.

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have 51.0% more doctors per person

Yemen has 1.0 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Burkina Faso has 1.5 as of 2022.

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live 8.1 years less

In Yemen, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 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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be 2.0 times more likely to die by suicide

Yemen has a suicide rate of 4.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Burkina Faso, it is 8.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 79.9% less likely to be unemployed

In Yemen, 17.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Burkina Faso, that number is 3.5% as of 2025.

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Life

be 2.1 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Yemen, 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 29.0% more likely to die during infancy

In Yemen, approximately 33.8 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 59.7% more likely to have internet access

In Yemen, approximately 17.7% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Burkina Faso, about 28.2% do as of 2024.

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be 74.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In Yemen, approximately 84% of people have electricity access (96% in urban areas, and 75% 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 33.4% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Yemen, approximately 75% of people have access to drinking water (89% in urban areas, and 66% 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 19.6% less on healthcare

Yemen spends 9.7% 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 95.4% less strain on fresh water

Yemen withdraws 170% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Burkina Faso withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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use 48.6% more electricity

Yemen uses 90 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Burkina Faso uses 133 kWh as of 2023.

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find 33.1% less home broadband

Yemen has 1.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Burkina Faso has 0.8 as of 2024.

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Environment

be 22.9% less likely to die from air pollution

In Yemen, air pollution causes 109.0 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 (2019–2022), 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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