Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 4.7 years longer

In Burkina Faso, the average life expectancy is 63 years (62 years for men, 65 years for women) as of 2022. In Madagascar, that number is 68 years (67 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

be 42.2% less likely to be unemployed

In Burkina Faso, 5.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Madagascar, that number is 3.1% as of 2023.

make 32.0% less money

Burkina Faso has a GDP per capita of $2,500 as of 2023, while in Madagascar, the GDP per capita is $1,700 as of 2023.

be 63.7% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Burkina Faso, 43.2% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Madagascar, however, that number is 70.7% as of 2012.

Life

be 68.0% more likely to be literate

In Burkina Faso, the literacy rate is 46.0% as of 2021. In Madagascar, it is 77.3% as of 2021.

be 21.0% 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 Madagascar, on the other hand, 39.0 children do as of 2022.

be 48.5% more likely to die during childbirth

In Burkina Faso, approximately 264.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Madagascar, 392.0 women do as of 2020.

have 13.5% fewer children

In Burkina Faso, there are approximately 31.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Madagascar, there are 27.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 85.1% 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 Madagascar, that number is 36% of people on average (73% in urban areas, and 11% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 28.5% less 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 Madagascar, that number is 56% of people on average (85% in urban areas, and 38% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 43.6% less on education

Burkina Faso spends 5.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Madagascar spends 3.1% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 41.8% less on healthcare

Burkina Faso spends 6.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Madagascar, that number is 3.9% of GDP as of 2020.

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

Madagascar: At a glance

Madagascar is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 581,540 sq km. Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896 but regained independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. RAVALOMANANA achieved a second term following a landslide victory in the generally free and fair presidential elections of 2006. In early 2009, protests over increasing restrictions on opposition press and activities resulted in RAVALOMANANA handing over power to the military, which then conferred the presidency on the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA, in what amounted to a coup d'etat. Following a lengthy mediation process led by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Madagascar held UN-supported presidential and parliamentary elections in 2013. Former de facto finance minister Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA defeated RAVALOMANANA's favored candidate Jean-Louis ROBINSON in a presidential runoff and was inaugurated in January 2014. Most international observers, while noting some irregularities, declared polls to be a credible reflection of the Malagasy public's will.
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