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Burkina Faso vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 163 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Burkina Faso
bfa
Leads on 48 of 163 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 104 of 163 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 2.7 times as many people as Burkina Faso (65.49 million vs 24.6 million). South Africa's economy is 17.4 times the size of Burkina Faso's ($424.75 billion vs $24.34 billion GDP).

Comparing Burkina Faso and South Africa: Burkina Faso leads on Radios (394,020) against South Africa (17); Burkina Faso leads on Televisions (131,340) against South Africa (6); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Burkina Faso (97,000). Across 163 compared metrics, Burkina Faso wins on 48 and South Africa wins on 104.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 62 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 21 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 37 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇫 Burkina Faso🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.85 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)28.25 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)17.02 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 17% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.85 Mbps5.35 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score52.25 points75.71 points★
Radios394,020★17
Televisions131,340★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

62 metrics
Metric🇧🇫 Burkina Faso🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country4.52B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars24.34B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)21.93 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume6.10M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate51.43 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)4.25 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)5.3 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends27.5 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.6 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index51.459.6★
Electricity Consumption1.55207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels8085★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants9★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables12★10
Electricity Imports630★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity342,400★50.02
Electricity Production990★234.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)3.48 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate65.5 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient37.463★
Gross Fixed Investment20.5★19.5
Gross National Saving9.316.1★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries2,624.83 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-5.4 %-0.4 %★
Inflation Rate-0.59 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)4.2 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)4.5 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption9,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports8,560521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line43.2 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)10.21 % of GDP11.71 % of GDP★
Public Debt61.3★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.25 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)5 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends6.13 %★0.6 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption23,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports23,580195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances2.9★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million46.58 researchers359.81 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.25 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)58.7431.21★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)18.68 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)18.68 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues18.426★
Top Exporting Countries6.60B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)-0.87 %0.58 %★
Unemployment Rate5.2 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate70.01 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate6.44 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇧🇫 Burkina Faso🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)199,222★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-119,860.01 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature29.21 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions5.24★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution542.09 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionmost of the population is located in the center and south; nearly one third lives in cities, including the capital city of Ouagadougou (Ouaga), as shown in this population distribution map (2019)the population is concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west, as shown in this population distribution map
Protected Land Area for Adaptation16.77 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage16.8 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country9.5 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources13.551.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species12 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇧🇫 Burkina Faso🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization2.28 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)47.7985.66★
Agricultural land151,550.8 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km273,6001.21M★
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita212.81 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land55016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇫 Burkina Faso🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country17.34 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions13★9
Corruption Perception Index41 index41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score41 index41 index
Independence531★
LGBT Rights Index Score1.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate35 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception4141
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

21 metrics
Metric🇧🇫 Burkina Faso🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults22.2 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate88 %★76 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)4.57.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders61.29 years66.31 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.89 per 1,000 births1.87 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita300.99 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score47 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.4 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy61.29 years66.31 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.6 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density0.4 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence18.47 %16.64 %★
Malaria Incidence Rate353.49 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)242 %118 %★
Mean Age at First Birth19.422.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.1 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)5.6 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending43.82 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS97,0007.8★
Total Number of Doctors0.150.79★
Underweight Children Under 516.94.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇧🇫 Burkina Faso🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel7,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)3.3 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)11,00089,000★

People and Society

37 metrics
Metric🇧🇫 Burkina Faso🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)72.42 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.43★0.42
Life expectancy at birth64.27 years71.98 years★
Median age of population17.95 years29 years★
Population Change530,537.5 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density89.88 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population24.60M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.560.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita1.5 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)31.74 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate35.3 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate31.34 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)7.24 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)5.3 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age6.13M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)8.13 %29.84 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.85 %5.35 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.56 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.230.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate6.4627.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school5.44 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population3.2 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)169.33★166.68
Military Service Age and Obligationgenerally, 18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; citizens 18-77 years of age are eligible to volunteer for the VDP (2025) note: the military regime implemented an emergency law in 2023 that allows the president extensive pow18
Old-Age Dependency Ratio4.77 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization52.11 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.15 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.39 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums74.07 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio42.1830.33★
Total deaths188,294.2 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)46.3 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate3.92 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-31,871.3 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate79.72 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate4.26 %★1.34 %

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇧🇫 Burkina Faso🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.010.37★
Airports49573★
Civil Air Travel290★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇧🇫 Burkina Faso🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita201.20M USD5.96B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Burkina Faso vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Burkina Faso or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 2.7 times as many people as Burkina Faso (65.49 million vs 24.6 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Burkina Faso or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 17.4 times the size of Burkina Faso's ($424.75 billion vs $24.34 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Burkina Faso or South Africa?▾

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $989.51 in Burkina Faso (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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