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

Health

live 2.2 years longer

In Burkina Faso, the average life expectancy is 63 years (62 years for men, 65 years for women) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

be 28.4 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Burkina Faso, 0.7% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 19.9% of people as of 2020.

be 3.4 times more likely to be obese

In Burkina Faso, 5.6% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Botswana, that number is 18.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 7.0 times more money

Burkina Faso has a GDP per capita of $2,500 as of 2023, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $17,500 as of 2023.

be 62.7% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Burkina Faso, 43.2% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Botswana, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2015.

be 4.4 times more likely to be unemployed

In Burkina Faso, 5.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Botswana, that number is 23.4% as of 2023.

Life

be 29.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In Burkina Faso, approximately 264.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Botswana, 186.0 women do as of 2020.

be 92.4% more likely to be literate

In Burkina Faso, the literacy rate is 46.0% as of 2021. In Botswana, it is 88.5% as of 2015.

be 49.0% less likely to die during infancy

In Burkina Faso, approximately 49.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Botswana, on the other hand, 25.2 children do as of 2022.

have 38.6% fewer children

In Burkina Faso, there are approximately 31.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Botswana, there are 19.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 3.9 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Burkina Faso, approximately 20% of people have electricity access (68% in urban areas, and 2% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 76% of people on average (93% in urban areas, and 25% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 3.4 times more likely to have internet access

In Burkina Faso, approximately 22.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Botswana, about 74.0% do as of 2021.

be 26.6% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Burkina Faso, approximately 78% of people have improved drinking water access (95% in urban areas, and 71% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 99% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 97% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 58.2% more on education

Burkina Faso spends 5.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Botswana spends 8.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.


The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Botswana: At a glance

Botswana is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 566,730 sq km. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. More than four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
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How big is Botswana compared to Burkina Faso? See an in-depth size comparison.

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