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Benin vs Burkina Faso
Side-by-side comparison of Benin and Burkina Faso from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Burkina Faso
Sub-Saharan Africa · nation age 66 years
In short
Benin scores 26.7 in the NationsTree Index (170th in the world) and Burkina Faso scores 21.9 (184th), a gap of 4.9 points. Their trees are 4.4 m and 4.4 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Burkina Faso has 63% more people than Benin. Burkina Faso is 2.4 times larger than Benin by land area. Benin and Burkina Faso have economies of similar size (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Benin 14.8 million and Burkina Faso 24.1 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $4,817 in Benin and $3,072 in Burkina Faso (2025, international dollars). Life expectancy is almost the same: 61.0 and 61.3 years.
Of 37 indicators reported by both countries, Benin ranks higher in the world on 26 and Burkina Faso on 11. Benin is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, science & innovation and tourism. Burkina Faso is clearly stronger in military and natural resources.
Over the last five years Benin improved faster (direction score 27 vs 5 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Benin and Burkina Faso.
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Benin overtook Burkina Faso in the NationsTree Index in 2025, the latest year with data.
Burkina Faso overtook Benin in life expectancy in 2017 and has stayed ahead since.
Burkina Faso overtook Benin in GDP (PPP) in 2008 and has stayed ahead since.
Benin has been ahead of Burkina Faso in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Burkina Faso has been ahead of Benin in population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
BeninBurkina Faso All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Benin | Burkina Faso |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 114,760102nd/216 · 2024 | 274,20074th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 112,760100th/216 · 2024 | 273,60074th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 14.8 m75th/217 · 2025 | 24.1 m59th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 2.40%27th/217 · 2025 | 2.21%38th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 128.387th/216 · 2024 | 86.1116th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 53.4%147th/217 · 2025 | 28.9%198th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 41.3%14th/217 · 2025 | 41.2%15th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 3.2%190th/217 · 2025 | 2.7%203rd/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $24.57 bn124th/210 · 2025 | $27.63 bn119th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $71.36 bn117th/199 · 2025 | $73.95 bn116th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $60.98 bn117th/199 · 2025 | $63.19 bn116th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $1,658179th/210 · 2025 | $1,148192nd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $4,817168th/199 · 2025 | $3,072186th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $1,600171st/201 · 2025 | $980186th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 8.1%11th/210 · 2025 | 5.3%45th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 1.1%39th/180 · 2025 | -0.6%6th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 1.6%13th/187 · 2025 | 3.5%56th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 64.2%34th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 59.3%112th/189 · 2025 | 53.2%96th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -2.7%97th/192 · 2025 | -1.5%63rd/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 22.9%29th/197 · 2025 | 19.9%38th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 17.5%146th/200 · 2025 | 30.1%52nd/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 10.2%94th/192 · 2025 | 6.6%137th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 50.1%144th/200 · 2025 | 41.5%183rd/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $4.19 bn135th/182 · 2025 | $9.67 bn112th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $4.93 bn140th/182 · 2025 | $8.29 bn123rd/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 17.1%154th/183 · 2025 | 35.0%96th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 20.1%168th/183 · 2025 | 30.0%133rd/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 37.1%167th/183 · 2025 | 65.0%118th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.0%163rd/170 · 2024 | 0.0%145th/170 · 2024 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 7.4%139th/171 · 2024 | 2.7%159th/171 · 2024 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 39.7%41st/171 · 2024 | 7.1%130th/171 · 2024 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.1%164th/171 · 2024 | 0.2%158th/171 · 2024 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 30.5%14th/168 · 2024 | 1.6%138th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -5.7%146th/191 · 2025 | 5.8%31st/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 2.0%103rd/196 · 2025 | 1.1%136th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 2.3%91st/209 · 2021 | 20.1%24th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 15.45%7th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 2.30%31st/209 · 2021 | 4.68%15th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 32.3%24th/206 · 2024 | 28.9%32nd/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 749144th/183 · 2022 | 555154th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 337,000139th/194 · 2019 | 67,000175th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $240.9 m116th/175 · 2019 | $173.0 m132nd/175 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 6.7%75th/168 · 2019 | 3.9%94th/168 · 2019 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 61.0209th/217 · 2024 | 61.3208th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 74.7185th/196 · 2024 | 74.9186th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.22142nd/174 · 2023 | 0.15156th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 0.4139th/145 · 2021 | 0.2144th/145 · 2020 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 63%180th/193 · 2024 | 91%93rd/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 12.3%149th/153 · 2022 | 10.2%152nd/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 43.6%163rd/173 · 2022 | 30.0%168th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 8.7%53rd/55 · 2021 | 42.9%33rd/55 · 2021 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 5.7%185th/217 · 2025 | 4.8%202nd/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 3.3%172nd/193 · 2023 | 7.8%67th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 51.4%92nd/98 · 2022 | 41.6%95th/98 · 2023 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 10.2%139th/150 · 2022 | 10.0%140th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.515173rd/193 · 2023 | 0.459186th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 34.458th/108 · 2021 | 37.472nd/108 · 2021 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 27.2%93rd/108 · 2021 | 42.1%101st/108 · 2021 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 59.0%189th/215 · 2024 | 34.0%208th/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 17.7%142nd/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 16.4%133rd/144 · 2024 | 24.7%120th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 34.0%163rd/186 · 2024 | 28.3%171st/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 12673rd/210 · 2024 | 117101st/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 0.3185th/208 · 2024 | 0.9172nd/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.5085th/164 · 2022 | 2.30117th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 7582006 | 51877th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 8992016 | 103,592137th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.4940th/203 · 2024 | 0.2727th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 54.5%44th/212 · 2021 | 71.4%26th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 39.7177th/200 · 2023 | 37.3173rd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 28.1%114th/214 · 2024 | 12.3%154th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 430125th/149 · 2024 | 333138th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 48.9120th/205 · 2025 | 36.2164th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 43.8105th/207 · 2025 | 43.5106th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 51.1129th/207 · 2025 | 43.5157th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 58.6145th/207 · 2025 | 34.1194th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 50.4119th/205 · 2025 | 44.6145th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 51.5123rd/205 · 2025 | 35.6164th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 1.12017 | 1.32017 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $216.9 m125th/156 · 2025 | $891.6 m85th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 0.9%122nd/156 · 2025 | 3.3%21st/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 4.8%84th/154 · 2025 | 13.2%21st/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 12,000124th/170 · 2020 | 11,000128th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.21%153rd/168 · 2020 | 0.12%159th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 4.0 m135th/163 · 2025 | 34.0 m71st/163 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | — | 0.10%95th/110 · 2024 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | — | 22010 |
| Scientific articles articles | 437106th/197 · 2023 | 52097th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Benin or Burkina Faso?
Burkina Faso has the larger population: 24.1 m (2025) compared with 14.8 m for Benin (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Benin or Burkina Faso?
Burkina Faso is larger: 274,200 km² (2024) compared with 114,760 km² for Benin (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Benin or Burkina Faso?
Burkina Faso has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $73.95 bn intl. (2025) compared with $71.36 bn intl. for Benin (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Benin or Burkina Faso?
Benin has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $4,817 intl. (2025) compared with $3,072 intl. for Burkina Faso (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Benin or Burkina Faso?
Burkina Faso has the higher life expectancy at birth: 61.3 years (2024) compared with 61.0 years for Benin (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Benin or Burkina Faso?
Burkina Faso spends more on the military: $891.6 m (2025) compared with $216.9 m for Benin (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Benin or Burkina Faso?
Benin: 26.7 points (170th in the world); Burkina Faso: 21.9 points (184th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Chad
Guinea
Madagascar
MaliSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Benin vs Burkina Faso — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/benin-vs-burkina-faso. Data as of 26 October 2026.