BEN
Data file updated Jul 5, 2026
Benin
Country profile covering economy, demographics, military, quality-of-life signals, and historical trends.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Porto-Novo
- Currency
- West African CFA Franc (XOF)
- Language
- French
- Government
- Presidential republic
- Internet Users
- 34.0%
- Unemployment
- 1.6%
- Smoking (15+)
- 4.9%
Population
13.71M
GDP
$24.57B
GDP per Capita
$1,298
Area
114,763 km²
Life Expectancy
61.0 years
HDI
0.5
Economy
5 metrics| GDP (USD) | $24.57B |
|---|---|
| GDP Per Capita (USD) | $1,298 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 1.6% |
| GINI Index (Income Inequality) | 34.4 |
| Currency | West African CFA Franc (XOF) |
Society & Demographics
4 metrics| Life Expectancy (years) | 61.0 |
|---|---|
| Literacy Rate (%) | 51.4% |
| Internet Users (%) | 34.0% |
| Human Development Index | 0.5 |
Military Strength
9 metrics| Active Personnel | 7,250 |
|---|---|
| Reserve Personnel | 2,500 |
| Total Military Personnel | 9,750 |
| Defense Budget (USD) | $295M |
| Tanks | 0 |
| Armored Vehicles | 95 |
| Self-Propelled Artillery | 0 |
| Towed Artillery | 12 |
| Rocket Projectors | 4 |
Air Force
7 metrics| Total Aircraft | 12 |
|---|---|
| Fighters | 0 |
| Attack Aircraft | 0 |
| Transport Aircraft | 5 |
| Trainer Aircraft | 4 |
| Helicopters | 3 |
| Attack Helicopters | 0 |
Education
4 metrics| Education Expenditure (% of GDP) | 4.4% |
|---|---|
| Universities | 22 |
| Primary Enrollment (%) | 97.4% |
| Secondary Enrollment (%) | 52.6% |
Healthcare
5 metrics| Healthcare Expenditure (% of GDP) | 2.6% |
|---|---|
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.2 |
| Hospital Beds per 1,000 people | 0.5 |
| Life Expectancy (Male) | 60.1 |
| Life Expectancy (Female) | 63.6 |
Cost of Living
12 metrics| Cost of Living Index | 30.2 |
|---|---|
| Rent Index | 12.4 |
| Groceries Index | 28.5 |
| Restaurant Price Index | 22.8 |
| Local Purchasing Power | 12.5 |
| Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant (USD) | $3 |
| Three-Course Meal for 2 (USD) | $12 |
| Monthly Rent - City Center (USD) | $220 |
| Monthly Rent - Outside Center (USD) | $100 |
| Monthly Utilities (USD) | $35 |
| Internet (60 Mbps, USD) | $18 |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (USD) | $1 |
Historical Data
No Historical Data Available
Historical data is not available for the selected countries.
Compare Benin
Religious Composition
- Christianity 48.5%
- Islam 27.7%
- Vodoun 11.6%
- Other Traditional 6.5%
- Other 3.2%
- Unaffiliated 2.5%
Beverages per Person
- Alcohol 4.1 L pure/yr
Per-capita — consumption where available, else FAOSTAT supply · alcohol = litres of pure alcohol (WHO)
Age Demographics
18.2
Median Age