Benin

All demographic indicators on this page are based on UN mid 2025 estimates unless stated otherwise.

Benin population (live estimate)

Real-time estimate based on UN demographic growth models.

14,814,000

Annual growth: 2.389%.

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Official population estimates

World population
14,814,000
Median age
18.0
Population growth rate (%)
2.389 ▲ Population is growing

This map shows first-level administrative regions (ADM1).

Key Facts

  • Capital: Cotonou
  • Official language: French
  • Region: Western Africa
  • Continent: Africa

Languages

A brief overview of the linguistic situation in the country.

Official language
French
Minority language
4
Working / administrative language
1

Benin has over 50 Indigenous languages, with Fon and Yoruba being the most widely spoken in the south. Bariba, Dendi, and Fulfulde are important in the north. French is the official language used in government, education, and national media.

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Religions

A brief overview of the religious composition of the country.

Dominant religion
Christianity
Largest share
53.2%
Number of religions
7

Population is concentrated in southern cities such as Cotonou and Porto-Novo. Rural communities maintain strong ethnolinguistic identities aligned with regional traditions.

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Cities

A brief overview of the major cities and urban structure of the country.

Largest city
Cotonou
Number of cities
29

The cities shown here represent major urban centres with populations over 50,000, as defined by the UN Degree of Urbanisation (DEGURBA) methodology. Smaller towns and rural settlements are not included.

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