Country profile
Benin
Republic of Benin · Western Africa
👥 Population
14,814,460
World Bank · 2025
🏛 Capital
Porto-Novo
🗺 Area
112,622 km²
💹 GDP (nominal)
$24.57B
World Bank · 2025
📈 HDI
0.515
UNDP · 2023
📍 Pop. density
132 /km²
💱 Currency
XOF
West African CFA franc
🗣 Languages
French
About Benin
Benin (officially Republic of Benin) is a country in Western Africa, with Porto-Novo as its capital. It is home to roughly 14.81 million people, giving a population density of about 132 people per square kilometre. The country covers 112,622 km² of land and shares land borders with 4 neighbouring countries. Its economy is valued at approximately $24.57B in nominal GDP (2025), and it records a Human Development Index of 0.515. The official currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF), and the main language is French.
Key indicators
Latest available data · World Bank & UNDP.
💹 Economy
GDP (PPP)
$64.14B
GDP/capita (PPP)
$4,435
GDP growth
8.1%
Inflation
1.1%
Unemployment
1.6%
👥 People
Life expectancy
61.0 yrs
Fertility rate
4.48
Pop. growth
2.4%
Urban population
53.4%
Infant mortality /1k
45.2
🌍 Quality of Life
Internet users
34.0%
Literacy rate
51.4%
Physicians /1k
0.22
Renewable energy
54.5%
Travel & practical
Capital
Porto-Novo
Currency
XOF
Dialing code
+229
Internet TLD
.bj
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Fun facts about Benin
- Benin is the 75th most populous country in the world, with about 14.81 million people.
- By land area it is the 100th-largest country in the world, covering 112,622 km².
- It has the world's 122nd-largest economy by nominal GDP ($24.57B).
- Benin shares land borders with 4 countries.
- It is classed by the UN as a country of low human development, with an HDI of 0.515.
- Benin has a population density of about 132 people per square kilometre.
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