Life in Burkina Faso: Every Number That Shapes It (1800–2100)

To look at Burkina Faso through these data points is to see the quiet, cumulative transformation of daily existence. Each figure represents a fundamental change in the rhythm of human survival, from the early years of life to the physical growth of the population. Behind these statistics are the shifts in how families provide for one another, how children navigate their futures, and how the infrastructure of society has expanded over time. These numbers do not merely measure the economy; they map the changing reality of what it means to live.

The historical arc from the 1950s to the 2020s reveals a sharp departure from the conditions of the mid-twentieth century. In the 1950s, Life Expectancy at Birth was 36, while today it is 62 years. Extreme Poverty has shifted from 75 to 35 %. Progress is also visible in the classroom, where Years of Schooling has moved from 1.2 to 6 years, and in the home, where Electricity at Home has grown from 3 to 48 %. These trends capture a society actively rewriting the terms of its own development.

A child born in Burkina Faso in the 2020s can expect to live 62 years on an average income of 3,800 international dollars. While Child Mortality has decreased from 320 to 75 per 1,000 births, the transition toward a more urbanized society is reflected in the 41 % of the population now Living in Cities. As you examine these shifts, you can see how the geography of opportunity has moved alongside the evolution of these metrics. Visit our interactive tool to see your parallel life in Burkina Faso.