Map of Benin | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background:


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Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo

Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 112,622 km²
Land: 110,622 km²
Water: 2,000 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Country comparison total: 2,123 km
Country comparison border countries: (4) Burkina Faso 386 km; Niger 277 km; Nigeria 809 km; Togo 651 km

Land boundaries
Total: 2,123 km
Border countries: (4) Burkina Faso 386 km; Niger 277 km; Nigeria 809 km; Togo 651 km

Coastline: 121 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 200 nm
Note: the US does not recognize this claim
Continental shelf: 200 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Elevation
Highest point: unnamed elevation 675 m; located 2.5 km southeast of the town of Kotopounga
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 273 m

Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Land use
Agricultural land: 31.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 22.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 3.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 4.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 40% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 28.7% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 172 km² (2017)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²: Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 km²), Volta (410,991 km²)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 150 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 60 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 26.39 billion m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March

Geography
Note: sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands


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Population
Distribution: the population is primarily located in the south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast; most of the north remains sparsely populated with higher concentrations of residents in the west as shown in this population distribution map
Total: 14,697,052
Male: 7,253,258
Female: 7,443,794 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 3.29% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 38.5% (2019 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Beninese

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% (2013 est.)

Languages: 55 languages; French (official); Fon (a Gbe language), Yom (a Gur language) and Yoruba are the most important indigenous languages in the south; half a dozen regionally important languages in the north, including Bariba and Fulfulde

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% (2013 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 45.3% (male 3,360,027/female 3,294,201)
15-64 years: 52.2% (male 3,727,040/female 3,951,786)
65 years and over: 2.5% (2024 est.) (male 166,191/female 197,807)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 84
Youth dependency ratio: 78.3
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.7
Potential support ratio: 17.7 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 17.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 16.6 years
Female: 17.7 years

Population growth rate: 3.29% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 40.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 7.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: the population is primarily located in the south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast; most of the north remains sparsely populated with higher concentrations of residents in the west as shown in this population distribution map

Urbanization
Urban population: 50.1% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 3.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 285,000 PORTO-NOVO (capital) (2018); 1.253 million Abomey-Calavi, 722,000 COTONOU (seat of government) (2022)

Environment
Current 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 accelerated by regular droughts)
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 31.51 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 6.48 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 5.8 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 20.5 years (2017/18 est.)
Note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Maternal mortality ratio: 523 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 52.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 57.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 47.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 63 years (2024 est.)
Male: 61.1 years
Female: 65 years

Total fertility rate: 5.34 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 15.5% (2017/18)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 79% of population
Unimproved rural: 29.2% of population
Unimproved total: 25.3% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 21% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 0.5 beds/1,000 population

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 56.3% of population
Improved rural: 18.1% of population
Improved total: 36.6% of population
Unimproved urban: 43.7% of population
Unimproved rural: 81.9% of population
Unimproved total: 63.4% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 9.6% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 1.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 0.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 0.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 6.9% (2020 est.)
Male: 11.8% (2020 est.)
Female: 1.9% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 16.8% (2017/18)

Education expenditures: 3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 45.8%
Male: 56.9%
Female: 35% (2021)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 10 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 3.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 3.2% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 4.6% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Benin
Conventional short form: Benin
Local long form: République du Benin
Local short form: Benin
Former: Dahomey, People's Republic of Benin
Etymology: named for the Bight of Benin, the body of water on which the country lies

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Porto-Novo (constitutional capital); Cotonou (seat of government)
Geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name Porto-Novo is Portuguese for 'new port'; Cotonou means 'by the river of death' in the native Fon language

Administrative divisions: 12 departments; Alibori, Atacora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 August (1960)

Constitution
History: previous 1946, 1958 (preindependence); latest adopted by referendum 2 December 1990, promulgated 11 December 1990
Amendments: proposed concurrently by the president of the republic (after a decision in the Council of Ministers) and the National Assembly; consideration of drafts or proposals requires at least three-fourths majority vote of the Assembly membership; passage requires approval in a referendum unless approved by at least four-fifths majority vote of the Assembly membership; constitutional articles affecting territorial sovereignty, the republican form of government, and secularity of Benin cannot be amended; amended 2019

Legal system: civil law system modeled largely on the French system and some customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Benin
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Patrice TALON (since 6 April 2016)
Head of government: President Patrice TALON
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last held on 11 April 2021 (next to be held on 12 April 2,026)
Note: the president is both head of state and head of government
Election results: 2021: Patrice TALON reelected president in the ; percent of vote - Patrice TALON (independent) 86.3%, Alassane SOUMANOU (FCBE) 11.4%, Corentin KOHOUE (The Democrats) 2.3%; 2016: Patrice TALON elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Lionel ZINSOU (FCBE) 28.4%, Patrice TALON (independent) 24.8%, Sebastien AJAVON (independent) 23%, Abdoulaye Bio TCHANE (ABT) 8.8%, Pascal KOUPAKI (NC) 5.9%, other 9.1%; percent of vote in second round - Patrice TALON 65.4%, Lionel ZINSOU 34.6%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms except for the current members whose terms will end in 2,026 to facilitate general elections)
Elections: last held on 8 January 2023 (next to be held on 11 January 2,027)
Elections results: percent of vote by party - Progressive Union for Renewal 37.6%, Bloc Republicain 29.2%, The Democrats 24%; seats by party - Progressive Union for Renewal 53, Bloc Republicain 28, The Democrats 28; composition- men 80, women 29, percentage women 26.6%
Note: seat total includes 24 seats reserved for women

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 Court or Cour Constitutionnelle (consists of 7 members, including the court president); High Court of Justice (consists of the Constitutional Court members, 6 members appointed by the National Assembly, and the Supreme Court president)
Note: jurisdiction of the High Court of Justice is limited to cases of high treason by the national president or members of the government while in office
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president and judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the advice of the National Assembly; judges appointed for single renewable 5-year terms; Constitutional Court members - 4 appointed by the National Assembly and 3 by the president of the republic; members appointed for single renewable 5-year terms; other members of the High Court of Justice elected by the National Assembly; member tenure NA
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court for the Repression of Economic and Terrorism Infractions (CRIET) or Cour de Repression des Infractions Economiques et du Terrorisme; district courts; village courts; Assize courts

Political parties and leaders: African Movement for Development and Progress or MADEP , Benin Renaissance or RB , Cowrie Force for an Emerging Benin or FCBE , Democratic Renewal Party or PRD , Progressive Union for Renewal , Republican Bloc , Sun Alliance or AS , The Democrats , Union Makes the Nation or UN (includes PRD, MADEP)

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MNJTF, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-Claude Felix DO REGO (since 17 July 2020)
In the us chancery: 2,124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 232-6,656
In the us fax: [1] (202) 265-1996
In the us email address and website: ambassade.washington@gouv.bj; [link]
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Brian SHUKAN (since 5 May 2022)
From the us embassy: 01BP 2012, Cotonou
From the us mailing address: 2,120 Cotonou Place, Washington DC 20,521-2,120
From the us telephone: [229] 21-36-75-00
From the us fax: [229] 21-30-03-84
From the us email address and website: ACSCotonou@state.gov; [link]

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 courage
Note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

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

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: robust economic growth; slightly declining but still widespread poverty; strong trade relations with Nigeria; cotton exporter; COVID-19 has led to capital outflows and border closures; WAEMU member with currency pegged to the euro; recent fiscal deficit and debt reductions

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $52.51 billion (2023 est.); $49.374 billion (2022 est.); $46.468 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 6.35% (2023 est.); 6.25% (2022 est.); 7.16% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $3,800 (2023 est.); $3,700 (2022 est.); $3,600 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 59% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 9.5% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 40.1% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 21.2% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -30.2% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 25.4% (2023 est.)
Industry: 17.3% (2023 est.)
Services: 47.7% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: cassava, yams, maize, oil palm fruit, cotton, rice, pineapples, soybeans, tomatoes, vegetables (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement

Industrial production growth rate: 7.29% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 4.964 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 1.45% (2023 est.); 1.47% (2022 est.); 1.69% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 3.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 3.2% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 4.6% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 38.5% (2019 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $2.024 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $2.101 billion (2019 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 17.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt: 54.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

Revenue
From forest resources: 2.24% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.73% (2023 est.); 1.35% (2022 est.); 1.73% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: -$734.659 million (2021 est.); -$273.967 million (2020 est.); -$575.593 million (2019 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $4.154 billion (2021 est.); $3.506 billion (2020 est.); $3.585 billion (2019 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: India 27%, Bangladesh 24%, UAE 23%, China 4%, Egypt 2% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: cotton, gold, coconuts/Brazil nuts/cashews, soybeans, oil seeds (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $4.925 billion (2021 est.); $3.942 billion (2020 est.); $4.307 billion (2019 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: China 24%, India 14%, US 6%, UAE 6%, France 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: rice, refined petroleum, palm oil, cars, poultry (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $698.9 million (31 December 2017 est.); $57.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt external: $5.328 billion (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 56.5% (2022 est.)
Access electrification urban areas: 71.1%
Access electrification rural areas: 45.5%
Installed generating capacity: 500,000 kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 1.502 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 2 million kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 694 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 317.697 million kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 98.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 1.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 45,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 46,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 46,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 8 million barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Consumption: 182.131 million m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 182.131 million m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.133 billion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 7.01 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 102,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 6.553 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 355,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 7.638 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 14.55 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 0.5% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.); 0.5% of GDP (2020 est.); 0.5% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: Beninese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Beninoises, FAB; aka Benin Defense Forces): Land Force, Air Force, National Navy, National Guard (aka Republican Guard); Ministry of Interior and Public Security: Republican Police (Police Republicaine, DGPR) (2024)
Note: FAB is under the Ministry of Defense and is responsible for external security and supporting the DGPR in maintaining internal security, which has primary responsibility for enforcing law and maintaining order; the DGPR was formed in 2018 through a merger of police and gendarmes

Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for voluntary and selective compulsory military service for men and women; conscript service is 18 months (2024)

Space program

Terrorist groups: Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM); Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS); Boko Haram
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1 (2015)
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 112,392 (2015)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 805,347 (2015) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: TY

Airports: 10 (2024)

Heliports

Pipelines: 134 km gas

Railways

Roadways
Total: 16,000 km (2018)

Waterways: 150 km (2011) (seasonal navigation on River Niger along northern border)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: a significant transit and departure country for cocaine shipments in Africa destined for Europe