Share of population living in urbanized areas in Benin
Benin: Share of population living in urbanized areas was 51.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
51.3%
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
137th
of 202 countries
All-time high
51.3%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Benin, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urbanized areas in Benin is 51.3%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 13.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urbanized areas in Benin peaked at 51.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Benin ranks 137th of 202 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Benin, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 0.2% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 0.2% | -8.6% |
| 1720 | 0.2% | +14.3% |
| 1730 | 0.2% | +14.3% |
| 1740 | 0.3% | +14.3% |
| 1750 | 0.3% | +14.3% |
| 1760 | 0.4% | +14.3% |
| 1770 | 0.4% | +14.3% |
| 1780 | 0.5% | +14.3% |
| 1790 | 0.5% | +14.3% |
| 1800 | 0.6% | +14.3% |
| 1810 | 0.7% | +14.3% |
| 1820 | 0.8% | +14.3% |
| 1830 | 0.9% | +14.3% |
| 1840 | 1.0% | +14.3% |
| 1850 | 1.2% | +14.3% |
| 1860 | 1.4% | +14.3% |
| 1870 | 1.5% | +14.3% |
| 1880 | 1.8% | +14.3% |
| 1890 | 2.0% | +14.3% |
| 1900 | 2.3% | +14.3% |
| 1910 | 2.6% | +14.3% |
| 1920 | 3.0% | +14.3% |
| 1930 | 3.5% | +14.3% |
| 1940 | 3.9% | +14.3% |
| 1950 | 4.5% | +14.3% |
| 1951 | 4.8% | +7.0% |
| 1952 | 5.2% | +7.0% |
| 1953 | 5.5% | +6.9% |
| 1954 | 5.9% | +6.8% |
| 1955 | 6.3% | +6.8% |
| 1956 | 6.7% | +6.7% |
| 1957 | 7.2% | +6.7% |
| 1958 | 7.6% | +6.6% |
| 1959 | 8.1% | +6.6% |
| 1960 | 8.7% | +6.5% |
| 1961 | 9.2% | +6.5% |
| 1962 | 9.8% | +6.4% |
| 1963 | 10.4% | +6.4% |
| 1964 | 11.1% | +6.3% |
| 1965 | 11.8% | +6.2% |
| 1966 | 12.5% | +6.2% |
| 1967 | 13.3% | +6.1% |
| 1968 | 14.1% | +6.0% |
| 1969 | 14.9% | +6.0% |
| 1970 | 15.8% | +5.9% |
| 1971 | 16.8% | +6.2% |
| 1972 | 17.8% | +6.2% |
| 1973 | 18.9% | +6.2% |
| 1974 | 20.1% | +6.3% |
| 1975 | 21.4% | +6.3% |
| 1976 | 22.5% | +5.3% |
| 1977 | 23.7% | +5.3% |
| 1978 | 25.0% | +5.4% |
| 1979 | 26.2% | +4.7% |
| 1980 | 27.0% | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 27.6% | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 28.3% | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 29.1% | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 29.8% | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 30.7% | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 31.3% | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 32.1% | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 32.8% | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 33.7% | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 34.6% | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 35.4% | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 36.0% | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 36.4% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 36.8% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 37.2% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 37.6% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 37.9% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 38.3% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 38.7% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 39.2% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 39.5% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 39.7% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 40.0% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 40.3% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 40.6% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 40.9% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 41.2% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 41.5% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 41.8% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 42.0% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 42.7% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 43.3% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 44.0% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 44.6% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 45.3% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 45.9% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 46.5% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 47.2% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 47.8% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 48.5% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 49.0% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 49.6% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 50.2% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 50.7% | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 51.3% | +1.1% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 51.3% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47.0%, 1.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Benin's 51.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 46.2%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urbanized areas in Benin changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1760s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1770s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1780s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1800s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1810s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1820s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1830s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1840s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1860s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1870s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1 |
| 1880s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1 |
| 1890s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
| 1900s | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1 |
| 1910s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
| 1920s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 1930s | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 1 |
| 1940s | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 1 |
| 1950s | 6.2% | 4.5% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 11.6% | 8.7% | 14.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 20.8% | 15.8% | 26.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 30.2% | 27.0% | 33.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.9% | 34.6% | 38.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.5% | 39.2% | 41.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.9% | 42.0% | 47.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.9% | 48.5% | 51.3% | 6 |
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)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Population density 351.08 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.95 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urbanized areas in Benin?
- Share of population living in urbanized areas in Benin was 51.3% in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 51.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Benin rank for share of population living in urbanized areas?
- Benin ranks 137th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urbanized areas rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urbanized areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of population living in urban areas in a country over time.