Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Burundi fits inside the DR Congo 84 times.
Burundi: 27,830 km² (2023) · DR Congo: 2,344,860 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Burundi: 0 km (2026 edition) · DR Congo: 37 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
The DR Congo’s highest peak towers 2,425 m above Burundi’s.
Burundi: 2,685 m (2026 edition) · DR Congo: 5,110 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
The DR Congo has 7.8 times as many people as Burundi.
Burundi: 14.4 million (2025) · DR Congo: 113 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Burundi is 11 times as densely populated as the DR Congo.
Burundi: 560 per km² (2025) · DR Congo: 50 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in the DR Congo are 1.3 cm taller than in Burundi.
Burundi: 167.3 cm (2019) · DR Congo: 168.6 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the DR Congo are 1.2 cm taller than in Burundi.
Burundi: 155.1 cm (2019) · DR Congo: 156.3 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Burundi is 0.13 years older than in the DR Congo.
Burundi: 15.9 years (2023) · DR Congo: 15.8 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the DR Congo have 1.2 more children on average than in Burundi.
Burundi: 4.79 children per woman (2024) · DR Congo: 5.98 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
3.1% of people in the DR Congo are 65 or older, versus 2.5% in Burundi.
Burundi: 2.5% (2025) · DR Congo: 3.1% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
The DR Congo has produced 0.1 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Burundi 0.0.
Burundi: 0 (2025) · DR Congo: 0.1 (2025)
How many official languages?
The DR Congo has 5 official languages, Burundi 2.
Burundi: 2 (2026) · DR Congo: 5 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The DR Congo’s economy is 27 times the size of Burundi’s.
Burundi: $3.36 billion (2025) · DR Congo: $91 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
The DR Congo produces 54% more per person than Burundi.
Burundi: Int$1,248 (2025) · DR Congo: Int$1,920 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in the DR Congo than in Burundi (Gini 7.2 points higher).
Burundi: 37.5 (2020) · DR Congo: 44.7 (2020)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 4.4% in the DR Congo, versus 0.9% in Burundi.
Burundi: 0.9% (2025) · DR Congo: 4.4% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Burundi spends 3.8% of its GDP on the military, the DR Congo 1.2%.
Burundi: 3.8% (2024) · DR Congo: 1.2% (2024)
How expensive is it?
The DR Congo’s price level (US = 100) is 2.2× Burundi’s.
Burundi: 19% (2025) · DR Congo: 42% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Burundi spends 20% more on health per person than the DR Congo.
Burundi: $28 (2023) · DR Congo: $23 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Burundi live 1.7 years longer than in the DR Congo.
Burundi: 63.8 years (2024) · DR Congo: 62.1 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the DR Congo is 85% more likely to die before turning one than in Burundi.
Burundi: 30.5 per 1,000 (2024) · DR Congo: 56.4 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
The DR Congo has 2.7 times as many doctors per person as Burundi.
Burundi: 0.1 per 1,000 (2022) · DR Congo: 0.2 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
5.9% of adults in the DR Congo are obese, versus 4.7% in Burundi.
Burundi: 4.7% (2024) · DR Congo: 5.9% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
12% of adults in the DR Congo smoke, versus 10% in Burundi.
Burundi: 10.1% (2024) · DR Congo: 12.3% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
Burundi and the DR Congo are practically level.
Burundi: 3.78 (2020) · DR Congo: 3.76 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Burundi drink 2.2 times as much alcohol as in the DR Congo.
Burundi: 3.5 litres (2023) · DR Congo: 1.6 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Burundi has 2% more meat per person than the DR Congo.
Burundi: 3.6 kg (2022) · DR Congo: 3.5 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
The DR Congo has 317 kcal more food per person per day than Burundi.
Burundi: 1,698 kcal (2022) · DR Congo: 2,015 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Burundi: no data · DR Congo: 1,841 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in the DR Congo went to school 3.9 years longer than in Burundi.
Burundi: 3.5 years (2023) · DR Congo: 7.4 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Burundi welcomed 5 times as many tourists per resident as the DR Congo (2019).
Burundi: 0.03 (2017) · DR Congo: 0.01 (2019)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
20% of people in the DR Congo are online, versus 8.6% in Burundi.
Burundi: 9% (2024) · DR Congo: 20% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
23% of people in the DR Congo have electricity, versus 20% in Burundi.
Burundi: 20.1% (2024) · DR Congo: 22.5% (2024)
How many live in cities?
45% of people in the DR Congo live in cities, versus 26% in Burundi.
Burundi: 26% (2025) · DR Congo: 45% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Burundi has 63 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, the DR Congo 59.
Burundi: 63 (2023) · DR Congo: 59 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Burundi: no data · DR Congo: 3,641 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Burundi: no data · DR Congo: 0.01 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 54% of the DR Congo, but only 11% of Burundi.
Burundi: 10.9% (2023) · DR Congo: 54.2% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Burundi emits 21% more CO₂ than someone in the DR Congo.
Burundi: 0.1 t (2024) · DR Congo: 0.1 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
100% of the DR Congo’s electricity is renewable, versus 76% in Burundi.
Burundi: 75.5% (2024) · DR Congo: 100% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in the DR Congo carries 2% more fine dust than in Burundi.
Burundi: 40.4 µg/m³ (2024) · DR Congo: 41.2 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
Burundi: 5.6 per 100k (2016) · DR Congo: no data
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in the DR Congo are 33% deadlier than in Burundi.
Burundi: 12.3 per 100k (2021) · DR Congo: 16.3 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The DR Congo is on average 3.6 °C warmer than Burundi.
Burundi: 21.2°C (2016–2025 avg) · DR Congo: 24.8°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Burundi gets 33% more rain than the DR Congo.
Burundi: 1,961 mm (2016–2025 avg) · DR Congo: 1,469 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Burundi bigger than the DR Congo?
The DR Congo is larger. Burundi fits inside the DR Congo 84 times.
Which has more people, Burundi or the DR Congo?
The DR Congo has 7.8 times as many people as Burundi (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Burundi or the DR Congo?
People in Burundi live 1.7 years longer than in the DR Congo. Life expectancy at birth is 63.8 years in Burundi and 62.1 in the DR Congo.
Are people taller in Burundi or the DR Congo?
Men in the DR Congo are 1.3 cm taller than in Burundi (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
