Share of population living in the capital city in Benin
Benin: Share of population living in the capital city was 5.7% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in the capital city in Benin, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Benin recorded 5.7% for share of population living in the capital city in 2020.
The figure is down 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in the capital city in Benin peaked at 5.9% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 2.8%, in 1950.
That places Benin 142nd out of 170 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in the capital city in Benin, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.8% | — |
| 1955 | 3.4% | +21.7% |
| 1960 | 4.2% | +22.7% |
| 1965 | 4.7% | +12.1% |
| 1970 | 5.0% | +7.1% |
| 1975 | 5.3% | +5.9% |
| 1980 | 5.4% | +3.1% |
| 1985 | 5.4% | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 5.4% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 5.3% | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 5.2% | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 5.8% | +10.8% |
| 2010 | 5.8% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 5.9% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 5.7% | -2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.4% | 2 |
| 1960s | 4.4% | 4.2% | 4.7% | 2 |
| 1970s | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.3% | 2 |
| 1980s | 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 2 |
| 1990s | 5.3% | 5.3% | 5.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 5.5% | 5.2% | 5.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 5.8% | 5.8% | 5.9% | 2 |
| 2020s | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More population data for Benin
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.6566 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4203 % change on previous year (2100)
- 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)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1997 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.48 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in the capital city in Benin?
- Share of population living in the capital city in Benin was 5.7% 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 population living in the capital city recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 5.9% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of population living in the capital city recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.8% in 1950.
- How does Benin rank for share of population living in the capital city?
- Benin ranks 142nd out of 170 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in the capital city rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.2%. 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 population living in the capital city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the total population living in the country's capital city. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.