Updated
Overview
Burkina Faso has 2.8 times the population of Togo: 24.07 million people against 8.59 million (2025).
Burkina Faso's economy is 2.3 times the size of Togo's, at $27.63B versus $11.89B.
Per person, Togo is the wealthier of the two: $1,384 against $1,148 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Burkina Faso | Togo | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $27.63B | $11.89B | 2025 | $23.25B / $9.93B |
| GDP per capita | $1,148 | Higher: $1,384 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 5.3% | Higher: 6.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: -0.6% | 0.4% | 2025 | 4.2% / 2.9% |
| Unemployment | 3.5% | Lower: 2.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 37 | 34 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $212 | $138 | 2025 / 2022 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $74 | Higher: $87 | 2024 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 24.07 million | 8.59 million | 2025 | 23.49 million / 9.14 million |
| Population growth | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 17.7 yrs | 19.1 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 4.00 | 4.07 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 61.3 yrs | Higher: 62.9 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 29% | 44% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 28% | Higher: 39% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 272,967 km² | 56,785 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 88.2/km² | 151.3/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 6.51 Mt | Lower: 2.75 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 0.3 t | 0.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $1.02B | $195.35M | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 4.7% | 2.0% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 11,000 | 10,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Togo is growing faster: 6.3% annual GDP growth versus 5.3%.
Inflation is comparable in both: -0.6% in Burkina Faso and 0.4% in Togo.
Average monthly earnings favour Burkina Faso: $212 against $138 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 17.7 (Burkina Faso) and 19.1 (Togo).
Life expectancy is 1.6 years longer in Togo (62.9 vs 61.3).
Togo is considerably more urbanized: 44% of people live in cities, against 29%.
Internet adoption is higher in Togo (39% vs 28% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Burkina Faso is 4.8 times the size of Togo: 272,967 km² versus 56,785 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Military
Burkina Faso spends 5.2 times as much on defence as Togo: $1.02B versus $195.35M (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Burkina Faso carries the heavier military burden: 4.7% of GDP versus 2.0%.
Burkina Faso fields the larger armed forces: 11,000 personnel against 10,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Burkina Faso bigger than Togo?
- Burkina Faso is larger by land area. Burkina Faso covers 272,967 km² while Togo covers 56,785 km², so Burkina Faso is 4.8 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Burkina Faso or Togo?
- Burkina Faso has the larger population: 24.07 million versus 8.59 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Burkina Faso richer than Togo?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Togo is richer: $1,384 against $1,148. Total GDP tells a different story: $27.63B for Burkina Faso versus $11.89B for Togo.
- Who spends more on their military, Burkina Faso or Togo?
- Burkina Faso spends more: $1.02B versus $195.35M per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).