2023 Edition

Background

Present day Benin is comprised of about 42 ethnic groups, including the Yoruba in the southeast, who migrated from what is now Nigeria in the 12th century; the Dendi in the north-central area, who came from Mali in the 16th century; the Bariba and the Fula in the northeast; the Ottamari in the Atakora mountains; the Fon in the area around Abomey in the south-central area; and the Mina, Xueda, and Aja, who came from Togo, on the coast. The Kingdom of Dahomey emerged on the Abomey plateau in the 17th century and was a regional power for much of the 18th and 19th centuries. Dahomey had an organized domestic economy, international trade with Europeans, and a highly organized military. The growth of Dahomey coincided with the growth of the Atlantic slave trade, and it became known as a major source of enslaved people. France began to control the coastal areas of Dahomey in the second half of the 19th century; the entire kingdom was conquered by 1894. French Dahomey achieved independence in 1960; it changed its name to the Republic of Benin in 1975.A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent, who won a second five-year term in March 2011. Patrice TALON, a wealthy businessman, took office in 2016; the space for pluralism, dissent, and free expression has narrowed under his administration. TALON won a second term in April 2021.

Area

land

110,622 sq km

total

112,622 sq km

water

2,000 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Coastline

121 km

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

Geographic coordinates

9 30 N, 2 15 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

172 sq km (2017)

Land boundaries

border countries

Burkina Faso 386 km; Niger 277 km; Nigeria 809 km; Togo 651 km

total

2,123 km

Land use

agricultural land

31.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 22.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 4.9% (2018 est.)

forest

40% (2018 est.)

other

28.7% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200 nm

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

200 nm; note: the US does not recognize this claim

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

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

Terrain

mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Age structure

0-14 years

45.37% (male 3,256,439/female 3,194,700)

15-64 years

52.18% (male 3,595,897/female 3,823,786)

65 years and over

2.45% (2023 est.) (male 159,363/female 189,723)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

1.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

40.7 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

4.8% (2018 est.)

women married by age 15

9.4%

women married by age 18

30.6%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

16.8% (2017/18)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

15.5% (2017/18)

Current health expenditure

2.6% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

68.3% (2023 est.)

Death rate

7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Benin has a youthful age structure – almost 65% of the population is under the age of 25 as of 2022 – which is bolstered by high fertility and population growth rates. Benin’s total fertility has been falling over time but remains high, declining from almost 7 children per women in 1990 to 5.4 in 2022. Benin’s low contraceptive use and high unmet need for contraception contribute to the sustained high fertility rate. Although the majority of Beninese women use skilled health care personnel for antenatal care and delivery, the high rate of maternal mortality indicates the need for more access to high quality obstetric care. Poverty, unemployment, increased living costs, and dwindling resources increasingly drive the Beninese to migrate. An estimated 4.4 million, more than 30%, of Beninese live abroad. Virtually all Beninese emigrants move to West African countries, particularly Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire. Of the less than 1% of Beninese emigrants who settle in Europe, the vast majority live in France, Benin’s former colonial ruler. With about 40% of the population living below the poverty line as of 2019, many desperate parents resort to sending their children to work in wealthy households as domestic servants (a common practice known as vidomegon), mines, quarries, or agriculture domestically or in Nigeria and other neighboring countries, often under brutal conditions. Unlike in other West African countries, where rural people move to the coast, farmers from Benin’s densely populated southern and northwestern regions move to the historically sparsely populated central region to pursue agriculture. Immigrants from West African countries came to Benin in increasing numbers between 1992 and 2002 because of its political stability and porous borders.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.7

potential support ratio

17.7 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

84

youth dependency ratio

78.3

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 70.8% of population

improved: total

total: 74.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 79% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 29.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 25.3% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 21% of population

Education expenditures

3% of GDP (2020 est.)

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.)

Gross reproduction rate

2.63 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.5 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

49.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male

59.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

54.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 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 (once counted as a Gur language) and Fulfulde

Life expectancy at birth

female

64.6 years

male

60.8 years

total population

62.6 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

35% (2021)

male

56.9%

total population

45.8%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

note

note: on 31 August 2023, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Benin is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine

respiratory diseases

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria

Major urban areas - population

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

Maternal mortality ratio

523 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

17.7 years

male

16.6 years

total

17.1 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.5 years (2017/18 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Beninese

noun

Beninese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

9.6% (2016)

Physicians density

0.07 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

14,219,908 (2023 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

Population growth rate

3.31% (2023 est.)

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.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 18.1% of population

improved: total

total: 36.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 56.3% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 81.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 63.4% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 43.7% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

10 years (2020)

male

12 years

total

11 years

Sex ratio

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

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.9% (2020 est.)

male

11.8% (2020 est.)

total

6.9% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.39 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

50.1% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

the name Porto-Novo is Portuguese for "new port"; Cotonou means "by the river of death" in the native Fon language

geographic coordinates

6 29 N, 2 37 E

name

Porto-Novo (constitutional capital); Cotonou (seat of government)

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

Constitution

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

history

previous 1946, 1958 (preindependence); latest adopted by referendum 2 December 1990, promulgated 11 December 1990

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Benin

conventional short form

Benin

etymology

named for the Bight of Benin, the body of water on which the country lies

former

Dahomey, People's Republic of Benin

local long form

Republique du Benin

local short form

Benin

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Brian SHUKAN (since 5 May 2022)

email address and website

ACSCotonou@state.govhttps://bj.usembassy.gov/

embassy

01 BP 2012, Cotonou

FAX

[229] 21-30-03-84

mailing address

2120 Cotonou Place, Washington DC  20521-2120

telephone

[229] 21-30-06-50

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Jean-Claude Felix DO REGO (since 17 July 2020)

email address and website

ambassade.washington@gouv.bjhttps://beninembassy.us/

FAX

[1] (202) 265-1996

telephone

[1] (202) 232-6656; [1] (202) 232-2611

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Patrice TALON (since 6 April 2016); note - the president is both head of state and head of government

election results

2021: Patrice TALON elected to a second term; percent of vote - Patrice TALON (independent) 86.4%, Alassane SOUMANOU (FCBE) 11.3%, other 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%

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 2026)

head of government

President Patrice TALON (since 6 April 2016); prime minister position abolished

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

note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

1 August 1960 (from France)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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; district courts; village courts; Assize courts

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats, including 24 seats reserved for women; 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 2026 to facilitate general elections)

election 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 as of May 2023 - men 80, women 29, percent of women 26.6%

elections

last held on 8 January 2023 (next to be held on 11 January 2027)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Gilbert Jean DAGNON

name

"L'Aube Nouvelle" (The Dawn of a New Day)

note

note: adopted 1960

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Royal Palaces of Abomey (c); W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (n)

total World Heritage Sites

2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 August (1960)

National symbol(s)

leopard; national colors: green, yellow, red

Political parties and leaders

African Movement for Development and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]Benin Renaissance or RB [Lehady SOGLO]Cowrie Force for an Emerging Benin or FCBE [Thomas Boni YAYI]Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]United Dynamics for Development and Democracy or AND [Valentin Aditi HOUDE]Progressive Union for Renewal [Joseph DJOGBENOU]Republican Bloc [Abdoulaye BIO TCHANE]Sun Alliance or AS [Sacca LAFIA]The Democrats [Eric HOUNDETE]Union Makes the Nation or UN [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI] (includes PRD, MADEP)

note

note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

cassava, yams, maize, cotton, oil palm fruit, rice, pineapples, tomatoes, vegetables, soybeans

Budget

expenditures

$2.101 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$2.024 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-6.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

B (2019)

Moody's rating

B2 (2019)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

B+ (2018)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2018

-$648.825 million (2018 est.)

Current account balance 2019

-$575.593 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$273.967 million (2020 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$2.476 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$2.804 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic 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

Exchange rates

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

580.657 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

555.446 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

585.951 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

574.295 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

554.608 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$3.848 billion (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$3.585 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$3.506 billion (2020 est.)

note

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - commodities

gold, cotton, cashews, refined petroleum, soybeans (2021)

Exports - partners

Nigeria 25%, Bangladesh 14%, United Arab Emirates 14%, India 13%, China 8%, Vietnam 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

31.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption

13.1% (2017 est.)

household consumption

70.5% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-43% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

27.6% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

26.1% (2017 est.)

industry

22.8% (2017 est.)

services

51.1% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$10.315 billion (2018 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

37.8 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

29% (2003)

lowest 10%

3.1%

Imports

Imports 2018

$4.669 billion (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$4.307 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$3.942 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

rice, cars, palm oil, electricity, cotton (2019)

Imports - partners

China 28%, Thailand 9%, India 8%, Togo 6%, United States 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

9.12% (2021 est.)

Industries

textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

-0.71% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

3.02% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.73% (2021 est.)

Labor force

5.295 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

38.5% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

49.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

54.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$38.794 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$40.287 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$43.17 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

6.87% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

3.85% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

7.16% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$3,200 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$3,200 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$3,300 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$57.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$698.9 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

1.47% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

1.58% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

1.57% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

4.6%

male

3.1%

total

3.9% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

274,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

37,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

6.592 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

6.903 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

78,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

78,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

524.08 million kWh (2020 est.)

exports

2 million kWh (2020 est.)

imports

646 million kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

475,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

346 million kWh (2020 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

17.9% (2021)

electrification - total population

41.9% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

66.9% (2021)

population without electricity

8 million (2020)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

96.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

3.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

8.468 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

19.057 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

19.057 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

1.133 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

8 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

46,300 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

1,514 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

38,040 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

0.3 (2020 est.)

total

29,981 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

state-run Office de Radiodiffusion et de Television du Benin (ORTB) operates a TV station providing a wide broadcast reach; several privately owned TV stations broadcast from Cotonou; satellite TV subscription service is available; state-owned radio, under ORTB control, includes a national station supplemented by a number of regional stations; substantial number of privately owned radio broadcast stations; transmissions of a few international broadcasters are available on FM in Cotonou (2019)

Internet country code

.bj

Internet users

percent of population

34% (2021 est.)

total

4.42 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line teledensity less than 1 per 100 people; mobile cellular subscriptions are 98 per 100 people (2021)

general assessment

Benin’s telecom market continues to be restricted by the poor condition of the country’s fixed-line infrastructure; this has hampered the development of fixed-line voice and internet services, and there is negligible revenue derived from these sectors; mobile networks account for almost all internet connections, and also carry most voice traffic; there is promise for considerable change in the mobile sector; slow progress is being made in developing competition in the mobile sector; in May 2021 the government sought foreign companies to bid for a fourth mobile license; improved international internet connectivity has contributed to a reduction in end-user pricing, and provided the potential to transform many areas of the country’s economy, bringing a greater proportion of the population into the orbit of internet commerce and connectivity; a 2,000km fiber project started in 2016 was finally completed in mid-2021, prompting the government to secure a loan to build additional fiber infrastructure connecting four of the country’s 12 departments (2022)

international

country code - 229; landing points for the SAT-3/WASC and ACE fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe, and most West African countries; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2021 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

11,493 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

98 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

12,731,782 (2021 est.)

Airports

6 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

1

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

5

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

TY

Merchant marine

by type

other 7

total

7 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

805,347 (2015) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

112,392 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

1 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

1 (2015)

Pipelines

134 km gas

Ports and terminals

LNG terminal(s) (import)

Cotonou

major seaport(s)

Cotonou

Railways

narrow gauge

438 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

total

438 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

1,400 km (2006)

total

16,000 km (2006)

unpaved

14,600 km (2006)

Waterways

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

Military - note

a key focus for the security forces of Benin is countering infiltrations into the country by terrorist groups tied to al-Qa'ida and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) operating just over the border from northern Benin in Burkina Faso and Niger; in May 2022, the Benin Government said it was "at war" after suffering a series of attacks from these groups; later that same year, President TALON said his government would spend more than $130 million to recruit up to 4,000 additional military personnel, modernize military equipment, and build and fortify operating bases; in addition, the FAB participates in the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) along with Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria against Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa in the general area of the Lake Chad Basin and along Nigeria's northeastern border the FAB has a close working relationship with the Belgian armed forces; the Belgians offer military advice, training, and second-hand equipment donations, and deploy to Benin for limited military exercises (2023)

Military and security forces

Beninese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Beninoises, FAB; aka Benin Defense Forces): Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard (aka Republican Guard)Ministry of Interior and Public Security: Republican Police (Police Republicaine, DGPR) (2023)

note

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 and security service personnel strengths

approximately 12,000 active-duty troops, including about 3,000 National Guard; estimated 5,000 Republican Police (2023)

Military deployments

250 Mali (MINUSMA) (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FAB is equipped with a small mix of mostly older or secondhand French, Soviet-era, and US equipment; in recent years, France has provided it with limited amounts of newer military hardware such as armored vehicles and helicopters (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

0.7% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

0.5% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-35 years of age for voluntary and selective compulsory military service for men and women; a higher education diploma is required; conscript service is 18 months (2023)

Disputes - international

Benin-Burkina Faso: Benin retains a border dispute with Burkina Faso near the town of Koualau/KourouBenin-Togo: talks continue between Benin and Togo on funding the Adjarala hydroelectric dam on the Mona RiverBenin-Niger: the location of Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint is unresolved

Illicit drugs

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

Terrorist group(s)

al-Qa’ida (Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen); Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS); Boko Haram

note

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 Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

6.48 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

5.8 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

31.51 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

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)

Environment - 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

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

31.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 22.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 4.9% (2018 est.)

forest

40% (2018 est.)

other

28.7% (2018 est.)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

2.24% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

26.39 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

60 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

150 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

50.1% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

685,936 tons (1993 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

171,484 tons (2005 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

25% (2005 est.)