Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Benin
Benin: Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) was 60.77 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Life expectancy at birth, total in Benin, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
Benin recorded 60.77 years for life expectancy at birth, total in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in Benin peaked at 60.77 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 43.03 years, in 1970.
That places Benin 207th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Benin, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 43.03 years | — |
| 1971 | 43.39 years | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 43.93 years | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 44.44 years | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 44.88 years | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 45.41 years | +1.2% |
| 1976 | 45.95 years | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 46.5 years | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 46.94 years | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 47.36 years | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 47.75 years | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 48.12 years | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 48.49 years | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 48.84 years | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 49.4 years | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 49.96 years | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 50.63 years | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 51.26 years | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 52.02 years | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 52.45 years | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 53.02 years | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 53.44 years | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 54.14 years | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 54.61 years | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 54.99 years | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 55.37 years | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 55.65 years | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 55.99 years | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 56.15 years | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 56.34 years | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 56.59 years | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 56.65 years | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 56.85 years | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 57.09 years | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 57.35 years | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 57.74 years | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 57.97 years | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 58.25 years | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 58.1 years | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 58.26 years | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 58.39 years | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 58.46 years | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 58.56 years | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 58.86 years | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 59.01 years | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 59.12 years | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 59.28 years | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 59.53 years | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 59.71 years | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 59.89 years | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 60.15 years | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 59.61 years | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 60.48 years | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 60.77 years | +0.5% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 60.77 years is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 67.65 years, 90% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Benin's 60.77 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.1 years, 95% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 45.18 years | 43.03 years | 47.36 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 49.89 years | 47.75 years | 52.45 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 54.97 years | 53.02 years | 56.34 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.48 years | 56.59 years | 58.26 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 59.08 years | 58.39 years | 59.89 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.25 years | 59.61 years | 60.77 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More population data for Benin
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4203 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.22 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4203 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.6566 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 25,264 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.48 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1997 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.41 (2100)
- Population density 351.08 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 2.95 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, total in Benin?
- Life expectancy at birth, total in Benin was 60.77 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 60.77 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.03 years in 1970.
- How does Benin rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
- Benin ranks 207th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Life expectancy at birth, total (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release