Official name
Republic of Benin
Name in local language
République du Bénin (fr)
Continent
Africa
Subcontinent
Sub-Saharan Africa
Population (ranking: 78e )
12,506,347 inhabitants (2021)
Population growth
3.24 % / year
Area
114,763 km²
Density
108.98 inhabitants / km²
GDP (ranking: 134e )14.391 billions $USD (2019)
GDP/capita (ranking )
1,219 $USD (2019)
GDP growth
6.90 % / year (2019)
Life expectancy (ranking )
61.50 years (2018)
Birth rate
36.40 ‰ (2013)
Fertility rate
5.70 children / woman (2018)
Death rate (ranking )
8.50 ‰ (2013)
Infant mortality rate (ranking )
68.10 ‰ (2013)
Literacy rate
41.60 % (2015)
Official languages
French
Currency
West African CFA franc (XOF)
HDI (ranking: 194e )0.545 / 1 (2019)
EPI (ranking )38.17 (2018)
Government
Presidential republic
Head of State
President Patrice Talon
National Day
1st August (independence of 1960)
ISO Codes BJ, BEN
Demonym
Beninese
Tourists (ranking )
295,000 people (2018)
Strong demographic growth
Benin is a country in West Africa, which is 700 kilometers long, from the Niger River in the north to the Atlantic coast to the south. The country is part of the ECOWAS and the Francophonie, and is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, and to the north Niger and Burkina Faso .
Viw from the mountains of Atakora, north of Benin. Photo: Wegmann Littoral near Cotonou, Benin. Photo: iha Village on water, Benin Urban areas (2021)
Urban areas
Population
Cotonou
2,557,723 inhabitants
Porto-Novo
926,839 inhabitants
Djougou
267,812 inhabitants
Abomey-Bohicon
264,047 inhabitants
Parakou
255,478 inhabitants
Kandi
179,290 inhabitants
Malanville
168,641 inhabitants
Ouidah
162,034 inhabitants
Natitingou
154,811 inhabitants
Djakotomey
134,028 inhabitants
Administrative divisions
Departments
Population
Area
Alibori
962,637 inhabitants
26,242 km²
Atacora
1,014,961 inhabitants
20,499 km²
Atlantique
1,480,983 inhabitants
3,233 km²
Borgou
1,337,792 inhabitants
25,856 km²
Collines
990,033 inhabitants
13,931 km²
Couffo
969,090 inhabitants
2,404 km²
Donga
646,684 inhabitants
11,126 km²
Littoral
1,228,667 inhabitants
79 km²
Mono
665,111 inhabitants
1,605 km²
Ouémé
1,349,986 inhabitants
1,281 km²
Plateau
752,083 inhabitants
3,264 km²
Zou
1,108,320 inhabitants
5,243 km²
See also
