Key demographics
- Population
- 13.8M
- Density
- 94.8/km²
- HDI
- 0.515 (Low)
- GDP per capita
- $1,790
- Gini index (2021)
- 34.4
- Life expectancy (2024)
- 61.0 yrs
- Fertility rate (2024)
- 4.48
- Urban population (2025)
- 53.4%
- Literacy rate (2022)
- 51.4%
- Labor force (2025)
- 77.5%
Population structure
- Dependency ratio
- 79.9%
- Profile
- Very Young
- Urban population (2025)
- 53.4%
- Birth rate (2024)
- 33.4 /1000
- Death rate (2024)
- 8.7 /1000
- Largest city (2025)
- 17.4%
- Fertility rate (2024)
- 4.48
- Infant mortality (2024)
- 45.2 /1000
- Slum population (2022)
- 64.0%
- Tourism (2019)
- 337.0K
Languages and culture
| Language | Native name |
|---|---|
| French | français |
| Religion | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Christianity | 52.2% |
| Islam | 24.6% |
| Traditional faiths | 17.9% |
| No religion | 5.2% |
| Other | 0.1% |
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Fon | 38.4% |
| Adja | 15.1% |
| Yoruba | 12.0% |
| Bariba | 9.6% |
| Fula | 8.6% |
| Ottamari | 6.1% |
| Yoa-lokpa | 4.3% |
| Dendi | 2.9% |
| Others | 2.8% |
- Demonym (male)
- Beninese
- Demonym (female)
- Beninese
- National anthem
- L'Aube Nouvelle
Healthcare
- Life expectancy (2024)
- 61.0 yrs
- HALE (2021)
- 55.7 yrs
- Health spending (2023)
- 3.3% of GDP
- Infant mortality (2024)
- 45.2/1000
- UHC index (2023)
- 38/100
- Hospital beds (2021)
- 0.4/1000
- Physicians (2023)
- 0.22/1000
- Nurses (2023)
- 0.61/1000
- Health spending per capita (2023)
- $47
- Out-of-pocket (2023)
- 42.4%
Education and technology
- Literacy rate (2022)
- 51.4%
- Education spending (2023)
- 3.2% of GDP
- Learning outcomes (2020)
- 384
- Internet users (2024)
- 34.0%
- Mobile subscriptions (2024)
- 125.9/100
- Broadband (2024)
- 0.3/100
- Secure servers (2024)
- 20/1M
Broadband connectivity
- Broadband per 100 (2024)
- 0.3
Geography and practical
- Area
- 114,763 km²
- Continent
- Africa
- Region
- Africa
- Subregion
- Western Africa
- Landlocked
- No
- Driving side
- Right
- Timezones
- UTC+01:00
- Calling codes
- +229
- TLD
- .bj
- Maps
- Google Maps · OpenStreetMap
Borders
National symbols
- Flag
- The flag of Benin features a green vertical band on its hoist side that takes up about two-fifth the width of the field and two equal horizontal bands of yellow and red adjoining the vertical band.
- National anthem
- L'Aube Nouvelle
- National holiday
- 1960-01-08