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Burundi vs Gambia
Side-by-side comparison of Burundi and Gambia from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
In short
Gambia scores 26.1 in the NationsTree Index (173rd in the world) and Burundi scores 16.8 (193rd), a gap of 9.3 points. Their trees are 2.1 m and 1.7 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Burundi has 5.1 times the population of Gambia. Burundi is 2.5 times larger than Gambia by land area. The economy of Burundi is 72% larger than that of Gambia (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Burundi 14.4 million and Gambia 2.8 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $3,706 in Gambia and $1,248 in Burundi (2025, international dollars). People in Gambia live on average 2.2 years longer (66.1 vs 63.8 years).
Of 31 indicators reported by both countries, Burundi ranks higher in the world on 8 and Gambia on 23. Burundi is clearly stronger in military and main industries. Gambia is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, infrastructure & digital and tourism.
As a nation, Burundi is the older of the two (statehood since 1962, 64 years), compared with Gambia (since 1965). Over the last five years Gambia improved faster (direction score 54 vs 30 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Burundi and Gambia.
Burundi
23.1%
171st of 173
Gambiabetter
107.0%
35th of 173
UnemploymentEconomy
Burundibetter
0.9%
5th of 187
Gambia
6.5%
118th of 187
General government gross debtEconomy
Burundibetter
42.0%
66th of 189
Gambia
73.7%
140th of 189
Voice & accountabilityInstitutions & safety
Burundi
29.5
183rd of 205
Gambiabetter
53.9
115th of 205
Political stabilityInstitutions & safety
Burundi
44.0
182nd of 207
Gambiabetter
66.2
114th of 207
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Gambia overtook Burundi in the NationsTree Index in 2017 and has stayed ahead since.
Gambia has been ahead of Burundi in GDP per person (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Burundi has been ahead of Gambia in GDP (PPP) and 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
BurundiGambia 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 | Burundi | Gambia |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 27,834143rd/216 · 2024 | 11,295162nd/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 25,680144th/216 · 2024 | 10,120162nd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 14.4 m77th/217 · 2025 | 2.8 m141st/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 2.41%25th/217 · 2025 | 2.23%37th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 547.021st/216 · 2024 | 272.746th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 25.7%205th/217 · 2025 | 65.0%107th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 44.0%9th/217 · 2025 | 39.7%27th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 2.5%208th/217 · 2025 | 3.2%188th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $3.36 bn177th/210 · 2025 | $2.59 bn183rd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $17.96 bn153rd/199 · 2025 | $10.46 bn161st/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $15.35 bn153rd/199 · 2025 | $8.94 bn161st/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $234210th/210 · 2025 | $919199th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $1,248199th/199 · 2025 | $3,706179th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $240201st/201 · 2025 | $930188th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 4.2%73rd/210 · 2025 | 5.9%35th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 34.1%174th/180 · 2025 | 11.6%162nd/180 · 2024 |
| Unemployment % | 0.9%5th/187 · 2025 | 6.5%118th/187 · 2025 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 42.0%66th/189 · 2025 | 73.7%140th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.2%114th/192 · 2025 | -4.7%145th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 34.3%7th/197 · 2025 | 23.8%23rd/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 18.2%139th/200 · 2025 | 15.8%157th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 13.1%64th/192 · 2025 | 1.5%180th/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 42.1%179th/200 · 2025 | 53.1%131st/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | — | $330.2 m171st/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | — | $1.28 bn165th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | — | 12.7%169th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | — | 49.4%82nd/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | — | 62.2%125th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 1.9%100th/170 · 2023 | 0.0%165th/170 · 2024 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 15.2%118th/171 · 2023 | 1.0%166th/171 · 2024 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 46.0%34th/171 · 2023 | 90.7%7th/171 · 2024 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 1.9%108th/171 · 2023 | 7.3%51st/171 · 2024 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 1.3%144th/168 · 2023 | 3.3%111th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -6.4%156th/191 · 2025 | -4.1%132nd/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 1.0%137th/196 · 2025 | 10.6%16th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 14.0%35th/209 · 2021 | 2.9%87th/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 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 13.96%3rd/209 · 2021 | 2.86%25th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 43.7%10th/206 · 2024 | 58.1%3rd/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 755143rd/183 · 2022 | 1,138123rd/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 299,000145th/194 · 2017 | 246,000147th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $3.7 m2011 | $53.0 m153rd/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 1.6%2011 | 30.2%24th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 35,0002001 | 307,0002006 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 63.8198th/217 · 2024 | 66.1187th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 47.1163rd/196 · 2024 | 42.4160th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.08169th/174 · 2022 | 0.09164th/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 0.72014 | 1.1111th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 89%110th/193 · 2024 | 80%145th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 9.3%2017 | 36.9%123rd/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 23.1%171st/173 · 2025 | 107.0%35th/173 · 2021 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 9.2%50th/55 · 2019 | 3.0%2015 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 4.8%203rd/217 · 2025 | 5.6%187th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 9.1%43rd/193 · 2023 | 2.9%180th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 71.3%78th/98 · 2020 | 51.6%91st/98 · 2021 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 6.4%145th/150 · 2025 | 13.5%133rd/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.439187th/193 · 2023 | 0.524170th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 37.52020 | 38.82020 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 74.2%2020 | 22.0%2020 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 20.1%211th/215 · 2024 | 69.0%179th/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 48.2%110th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | — | 28.1%112th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 8.6%186th/186 · 2024 | 49.5%148th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 63188th/210 · 2023 | 12672nd/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 0.0202nd/208 · 2023 | 0.5179th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 1.95153rd/164 · 2018 | 2.30117th/164 · 2022 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 12,0001998 | 109,542136th/161 · 2019 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.0713th/203 · 2024 | 0.1823rd/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 83.0%10th/212 · 2022 | 47.7%52nd/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 35.7169th/200 · 2023 | 38.3176th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 10.9%167th/214 · 2024 | 21.3%130th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | — | 752007 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 26.7188th/205 · 2025 | 43.5140th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 17.0198th/207 · 2025 | 37.7133rd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 35.0191st/207 · 2025 | 52.1125th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 44.0182nd/207 · 2025 | 66.2114th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 40.6170th/205 · 2025 | 44.4147th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 29.5183rd/205 · 2025 | 53.9115th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 5.62016 | — |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $226.6 m123rd/156 · 2025 | $14.7 m153rd/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 3.2%24th/156 · 2025 | 0.6%139th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 14.9%17th/154 · 2025 | 2.2%140th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 31,00087th/170 · 2020 | 4,000148th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.59%101st/168 · 2020 | 0.58%104th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 2.0 m2019 | 1.0 m150th/163 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.21%2018 | 0.07%2018 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 1126th/137 · 2022 | — |
| Scientific articles articles | 36162nd/197 · 2023 | 80145th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Burundi or Gambia?
Burundi has the larger population: 14.4 m (2025) compared with 2.8 m for Gambia (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Burundi or Gambia?
Burundi is larger: 27,834 km² (2024) compared with 11,295 km² for Gambia (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Burundi or Gambia?
Burundi has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $17.96 bn intl. (2025) compared with $10.46 bn intl. for Gambia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Burundi or Gambia?
Gambia has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $3,706 intl. (2025) compared with $1,248 intl. for Burundi (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Burundi or Gambia?
Gambia has the higher life expectancy at birth: 66.1 years (2024) compared with 63.8 years for Burundi (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Burundi or Gambia?
Burundi spends more on the military: $226.6 m (2025) compared with $14.7 m for Gambia (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Burundi or Gambia?
Gambia: 26.1 points (173rd in the world); Burundi: 16.8 points (193rd). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Equatorial Guinea
Eswatini
Liberia
Central African Republic
Guinea-Bissau
LesothoSources
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). Burundi vs Gambia — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/burundi-vs-gambia. Data as of 26 October 2026.