Burkina Faso vs South Africa
Burkina Faso vs South Africa: Learning-adjusted schooling
Learning-adjusted schooling in 2020: 4.5 years in Burkina Faso and 5.6 years in South Africa, by World Bank estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in South Africa, by 1.1 years, or 1.24 times that in Burkina Faso.
years · World Bank
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2010.
- In 2020, Burkina Faso ranked 156 and South Africa ranked 138 of 174 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
years · World Bank
| Year | Burkina Faso | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 4.5 | 5.6 |
| 2018 | 4.4 | 5.6 |
| 2017 | 4.2 | 5.1 |
| 2010 | 3.2 | 6.2 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The years of school a child can expect by 18, cut to what students actually learn: the World Bank’s learning-adjusted years of school.
- Source: World Bank Human Capital Index, via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 174 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Burkina Faso vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyBurkina Faso: 61.1 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBurkina Faso: 7.5 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBurkina Faso: 52.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionBurkina Faso: 3.69% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateBurkina Faso: 13.2 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBurkina Faso: 23 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthBurkina Faso: 2.26% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBurkina Faso: 4.19 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBurkina Faso: 28.9% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageBurkina Faso: 17.3 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBurkina Faso: 2.6% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateBurkina Faso: -1.1 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personBurkina Faso: $787 in 2025South Africa: $5,713 in 2025
- GDP growthBurkina Faso: 5.3% a year in 2025South Africa: 1.1% a year in 2025
- InflationBurkina Faso: -0.6% a year in 2025South Africa: 3.2% a year in 2025
- Government debtBurkina Faso: 53.2% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 76% of GDP in 2024
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBurkina Faso: 3.3% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBurkina Faso: $844M in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personBurkina Faso: $37 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBurkina Faso: 13.2% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBurkina Faso: 11,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerBurkina Faso: 0.09% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBurkina Faso: 0.12% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBurkina Faso: 34 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025