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Benin
Benin
Population
14.5M
Rank #75Source: World Bank
Capital
Porto-Novo
Source: REST Countries
Region
Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Source: REST Countries
GDP (Nominal)
$21.48B
Rank #125Source: World Bank
Land Area
112.6K km²
Rank #101Source: REST Countries
Life Expectancy
60.774 yrs
Source: World Bank
Historical Trends
Population Trend (5-Year)
Source: World Bank
GDP Trend (5-Year, Nominal USD)
Source: World Bank
Geography
Area: 112,622 km²
Landlocked: No
Independent: Yes
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Elevation: mean elevation: 273 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
Natural Hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March
Environmental Issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification (the spread of the desert into agricultural lands in the north is...
Land Use: agricultural land: 31.3% (2011 est.) forest: 40% (2011 est.) other: 28.7% (2011 est.)
Geography Note: sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands
Natural Resources
small offshore oil depositslimestonemarbletimber
People & Society
Fertility Rate
4.56
Population
14.5M
Ethnic Groups
Fon and related (38.4%)Adja and related (15.1%)Yoruba and related (12%)Bariba and related (9.6%)Fulani and related (8.6%)Ottamari and related (6.1%)Yoa-Lokpa and related (4.3%)Dendi and related (2.9%)other (0.9%)foreigner (1.9%)
Religions
Muslim (27.7%)Roman Catholic (25.5%)Protestant 13.5% (Celestial (6.7%)Methodist (3.4%)other Protestant (3.4%)Vodoun (11.6%)other Christian (9.5%)other traditional religions (2.6%)other (2.6%)none (5.8%)
Economy
GDP per Capita
$1,485.38
GDP per Capita PPP
4,434.564
(2024)
(2024)
GNI per Capita
1,430
(2024)
(2024)
Gini Index
34.4
(2021)
(2021)
Unemployment
1.637%
(2024)
(2024)
Inflation
1.161%
(2024)
(2024)
Public Debt
Not Available
Energy
Electricity Access
57%
(2023)
(2023)
Renewable Energy
54.5%
(2021)
(2021)
CO₂ Emissions
7.048 Mt
(2024)
(2024)
Energy Intensity
4.79 MJ/$
(2021)
(2021)
Renewable Electricity
0.258%
(2021)
(2021)
Environment
Forest Coverage
26.473% of land
(2023)
(2023)
Communications
Internet Users
32.208%
(2023)
(2023)
Mobile Penetration
116.036%
(2023)
(2023)
Broadband Subscribers
0.171%
(2023)
(2023)
Transportation
Air Transport Freight
0.006 M ton-km
(2016)
(2016)
Container Port Traffic
510,895.6 TEU
(2019)
(2019)
Airports
10
Rail Lines
N/A
Roads Total
5,944.571 km(©IRF)
Military
Military Forces
Benin Armed Forces (Forces Armees Beninoises, FAB): Army, Navy, Air Force; Ministry of Public Security: Republican Police
Personnel Strength
the Benin Armed Forces (FAB) are comprised of approximately 7,200 active duty troops (6,500 Army; 500 Navy; 200 Air Force); est. 5,000 Republican Police
Military Expenditure (USD)
$0.15B
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)
0.72%
Military Expenditure History
0.7% of GDP (2019) 0.86% of GDP (2018) 1.26% of GDP (2017) 1.14% of GDP (2016) 1.1% of GDP (2015)
Deployments
250 Mali (MINUSMA) (2020)
Equipment & Inventories
the FAB is equipped with a mix of foreign-supplied weapons; historically, France and Russia (including the former Soviet Union) have been the chief suppliers of military hardware (2019 est.)
Service Age & Obligation
18-35 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; a higher education diploma is required; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months
Education
Pre-Primary Enrollment
23.128%
(2021)
(2021)
Primary Enrollment
108.036%
(2022)
(2022)
Secondary Enrollment
43.561%
(2022)
(2022)
Tertiary Enrollment
10.235%
(2022)
(2022)
Education Spending
3.23% of GDP
(2023)
(2023)
Adult Literacy Rate
51.38%
(2022)
(2022)
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
39.197:1
(2018)
(2018)
Health
Physicians per 1,000
0.216
(2023)
(2023)
Safe Water Access
69.587%
(2024)
(2024)
Safe Drinking Water
17.697%
(2024)
(2024)
Under-5 Mortality
77.9 per 1,000
(2023)
(2023)
Maternal Mortality (World Bank)
17.361 per 100,000
(2021)
(2021)
Hospital Beds per 1,000
61.719
(2021)
(2021)
UHC Coverage Index
38
(2023)
(2023)
Measles Immunization
63%
(2024)
(2024)
Social Indicators
Extreme Poverty Rate
27.2%
(2021)
(2021)
Food Insecurity
14.3%
(2023)
(2023)
Youth NEET Rate
3.166%
(2022)
(2022)
Governance
Women in Government
26.606%
(2024)
(2024)
Voice & Accountability
-0.22
(Below Average)
(2023)
(Below Average)
(2023)
Political Stability
-0.35
(Below Average)
(2023)
(Below Average)
(2023)
Government Effectiveness
-0.22
(Below Average)
(2023)
(Below Average)
(2023)
Regulatory Quality
-0.30
(Below Average)
(2023)
(Below Average)
(2023)
Rule of Law
-0.51
(Below Average)
(2023)
(Below Average)
(2023)
Control of Corruption
-0.05
(Below Average)
(2023)
(Below Average)
(2023)
Government
Government Type
presidential republic
Legal System
civil law system modeled largely on the French system and some customary law
Executive Branch
chief of state: President Patrice TALON (since 6 April 2016); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Patrice TALON (since 6 April 2016);...
Legislative Branch
description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year...
Judicial Branch
highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of the chief justice and 16 justices organized into an administrative division, judicial chamber, and chamber of accounts); Constitutional...
National Symbols
Flag Description
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side; green symbolizes hope and revival, yellow wealth, and red couragenote: uses the popular...
National Symbols
leopard; national colors: green, yellow, red
National Anthem
name: "L'Aube Nouvelle" (The Dawn of a New Day) lyrics/music: Gilbert Jean DAGNON note: adopted 1960
Safety
Homicide Rate
1.127 per 100,000
(2017)
(2017)
Travel Information
Language(s): French
Currency: XOF (Fr)
Timezone(s): UTC+01:00
Landlocked: No
Independent: Yes
Driving Side: Right
Calling Code: +229
Car Sign: DY
Week Starts: Monday
Data sources: World Bank, UN Data • Updated daily •Learn about our data