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Burkina Faso vs Mali
Side-by-side comparison of Burkina Faso and Mali 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
Mali scores 25.3 in the NationsTree Index (175th in the world) and Burkina Faso scores 21.9 (184th), a gap of 3.4 points. Their trees are 4.4 m and 4.9 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Burkina Faso and Mali have a similar population. Mali is 4.5 times larger than Burkina Faso by land area. The economy of Mali is 19% larger than that of Burkina Faso (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Burkina Faso 24.1 million and Mali 25.2 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $3,503 in Mali and $3,072 in Burkina Faso (2025, international dollars). People in Burkina Faso live on average 0.6 years longer (61.3 vs 60.7 years).
Of 35 indicators reported by both countries, Burkina Faso ranks higher in the world on 17 and Mali on 18. Burkina Faso is clearly stronger in institutions & safety and science & innovation. Mali is clearly stronger in military and tourism.
Over the last five years Mali improved faster (direction score 49 vs 5 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Burkina Faso and Mali.
Burkina Fasobetter
-0.6%
6th of 180
Mali
3.3%
94th of 180
Renewable freshwater per personNatural resources
Burkina Faso
555
154th of 183
Malibetter
2,600
89th of 183
Control of corruptionInstitutions & safety
Burkina Fasobetter
43.5
106th of 207
Mali
29.1
163rd of 207
High-tech exportsTrade
Burkina Faso
1.6%
138th of 168
Malibetter
5.4%
95th of 168
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Mali overtook Burkina Faso in the NationsTree Index in 2025, the latest year with data.
Mali overtook Burkina Faso in population in 2018 and has stayed ahead since.
Burkina Faso overtook Mali in life expectancy in 2008 and has stayed ahead since.
Mali has been ahead of Burkina Faso in GDP per person (PPP) and GDP (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
Burkina FasoMali 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 | Burkina Faso | Mali |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 274,20074th/216 · 2024 | 1,241,23823rd/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 273,60074th/216 · 2024 | 1,220,19023rd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 24.1 m59th/217 · 2025 | 25.2 m58th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 2.21%38th/217 · 2025 | 2.90%14th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 86.1116th/216 · 2024 | 20.1186th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 28.9%198th/217 · 2025 | 32.2%190th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 41.2%15th/217 · 2025 | 45.8%6th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 2.7%203rd/217 · 2025 | 2.4%211th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $27.63 bn119th/210 · 2025 | $30.07 bn114th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $73.95 bn116th/199 · 2025 | $88.27 bn107th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $63.19 bn116th/199 · 2025 | $75.43 bn107th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $1,148192nd/210 · 2025 | $1,193190th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $3,072186th/199 · 2025 | $3,503181st/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $980186th/201 · 2025 | $1,120182nd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 5.3%45th/210 · 2025 | 5.6%42nd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | -0.6%6th/180 · 2025 | 3.3%94th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 3.5%56th/187 · 2025 | 2.8%35th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 64.2%34th/55 · 2024 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 53.2%96th/189 · 2025 | 40.3%60th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -1.5%63rd/192 · 2025 | -1.5%63rd/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 19.9%38th/197 · 2025 | 33.0%8th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 30.1%52nd/200 · 2025 | 23.4%103rd/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 6.6%137th/192 · 2025 | 7.5%129th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 41.5%183rd/200 · 2025 | 36.6%191st/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $9.67 bn112th/182 · 2025 | $6.64 bn121st/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $8.29 bn123rd/182 · 2025 | $8.03 bn124th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 35.0%96th/183 · 2025 | 22.1%136th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 30.0%133rd/183 · 2025 | 26.7%147th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 65.0%118th/183 · 2025 | 48.8%147th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.0%145th/170 · 2024 | 1.6%109th/170 · 2023 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 2.7%159th/171 · 2024 | 6.5%143rd/171 · 2023 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 7.1%130th/171 · 2024 | 6.2%135th/171 · 2023 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.2%158th/171 · 2024 | 0.7%139th/171 · 2023 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 1.6%138th/168 · 2024 | 5.4%95th/168 · 2023 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 5.8%31st/191 · 2025 | 0.1%75th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 1.1%136th/196 · 2025 | 2.8%75th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 20.1%24th/209 · 2021 | 18.4%27th/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 | 15.45%7th/209 · 2021 | 16.18%6th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 4.68%15th/209 · 2021 | 2.23%32nd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 28.9%32nd/206 · 2024 | 5.5%133rd/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 555154th/183 · 2022 | 2,60089th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 67,000175th/194 · 2020 | 217,000150th/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $173.0 m132nd/175 · 2019 | $231.0 m119th/175 · 2018 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 3.9%94th/168 · 2019 | 5.5%81st/168 · 2018 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 61.3208th/217 · 2024 | 60.7211th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 74.9186th/196 · 2024 | 73.0184th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.15156th/174 · 2022 | 0.19148th/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 0.2144th/145 · 2020 | 0.32018 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 91%93rd/193 · 2024 | 82%141st/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 10.2%152nd/153 · 2024 | 10.2%151st/153 · 2022 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 30.0%168th/173 · 2024 | 38.9%164th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 42.9%33rd/55 · 2021 | 35.3%39th/55 · 2021 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 4.8%202nd/217 · 2025 | 4.6%205th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 7.8%67th/193 · 2023 | 3.8%158th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 41.6%95th/98 · 2023 | 35.6%97th/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 10.0%140th/150 · 2024 | 5.1%2015 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.459186th/193 · 2023 | 0.419188th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 37.472nd/108 · 2021 | 35.763rd/108 · 2021 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 42.1%101st/108 · 2021 | 36.1%95th/108 · 2021 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 34.0%208th/215 · 2024 | 49.5%201st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 24.7%120th/144 · 2024 | 20.0%127th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 28.3%171st/186 · 2024 | 36.8%160th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 117101st/210 · 2024 | 112116th/210 · 2022 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 0.9172nd/208 · 2024 | 0.8174th/208 · 2022 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.30117th/164 · 2022 | 2.00148th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 51877th/82 · 2021 | 7332002 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 103,592137th/161 · 2023 | 02014 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.2727th/203 · 2024 | 0.3031st/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 71.4%26th/212 · 2022 | 71.1%28th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 37.3173rd/200 · 2023 | 35.5168th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 12.3%154th/214 · 2024 | 8.7%172nd/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 333138th/149 · 2024 | — |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 36.2164th/205 · 2025 | 24.3191st/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 43.5106th/207 · 2025 | 29.1163rd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 43.5157th/207 · 2025 | 39.1177th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 34.1194th/207 · 2025 | 21.8206th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 44.6145th/205 · 2025 | 41.6166th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 35.6164th/205 · 2025 | 34.7168th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 1.32017 | — |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $891.6 m85th/156 · 2025 | $952.9 m84th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 3.3%21st/156 · 2025 | 3.9%14th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 13.2%21st/154 · 2025 | 14.8%18th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 11,000128th/170 · 2020 | 41,00079th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.12%159th/168 · 2020 | 0.54%107th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 34.0 m71st/163 · 2025 | 64.0 m58th/163 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.10%95th/110 · 2024 | 0.15%92nd/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 22010 | — |
| Scientific articles articles | 52097th/197 · 2023 | 117137th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Burkina Faso or Mali?
Mali has the larger population: 25.2 m (2025) compared with 24.1 m for Burkina Faso (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Burkina Faso or Mali?
Mali is larger: 1,241,238 km² (2024) compared with 274,200 km² for Burkina Faso (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Burkina Faso or Mali?
Mali has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $88.27 bn intl. (2025) compared with $73.95 bn intl. for Burkina Faso (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Burkina Faso or Mali?
Mali has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $3,503 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 Burkina Faso or Mali?
Burkina Faso has the higher life expectancy at birth: 61.3 years (2024) compared with 60.7 years for Mali (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Burkina Faso or Mali?
Mali spends more on the military: $952.9 m (2025) compared with $891.6 m for Burkina Faso (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Burkina Faso or Mali?
Mali: 25.3 points (175th 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.
Benin
Guinea
Madagascar
Senegal
Sudan
Zambia
ZimbabweSources
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). Burkina Faso vs Mali — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/burkina-faso-vs-mali. Data as of 26 October 2026.