Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Benin
Benin: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 23.9% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Benin, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of urban population who live in the largest city in Benin is 23.9%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Benin peaked at 23.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 5.8%, in 1950.
That places Benin 100th out of 179 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 7.3% | 5.8% | 8.8% | 2 |
| 1960s | 12.3% | 11.1% | 13.5% | 2 |
| 1970s | 16.6% | 15.5% | 17.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 21.8% | 21.3% | 22.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 21.6% | 21.2% | 22.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 20.8% | 20.5% | 21.2% | 2 |
| 2010s | 22.0% | 21.6% | 22.5% | 2 |
| 2020s | 23.9% | 23.9% | 23.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More population data for Benin
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.95 million people (2100)
- Population density 351.08 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 4.48 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 16,232 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 4.48 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 4.48 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 2.5% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 4.56 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Benin?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Benin was 23.9% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 23.9% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.8% in 1950.
- How does Benin rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Benin ranks 100th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population who live in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the urban population living in the country's largest city (by population). City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.