Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Benin
Benin: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 53.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
53.4%
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
161st
of 236 countries
All-time high
53.4%
in 2025
All-time low
6.7%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Benin, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Benin recorded 53.4% for share of population living in urban and rural areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and up 16.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Benin peaked at 53.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 6.7%, in 1950.
Benin ranks 161st of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Benin, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 6.7% | — |
| 1951 | 6.8% | +2.1% |
| 1952 | 7.0% | +2.8% |
| 1953 | 7.3% | +3.4% |
| 1954 | 7.5% | +3.8% |
| 1955 | 7.8% | +4.1% |
| 1956 | 8.2% | +4.4% |
| 1957 | 8.6% | +4.5% |
| 1958 | 9.0% | +4.6% |
| 1959 | 9.4% | +4.6% |
| 1960 | 9.8% | +4.5% |
| 1961 | 10.2% | +4.7% |
| 1962 | 10.8% | +5.4% |
| 1963 | 11.4% | +6.0% |
| 1964 | 12.2% | +6.3% |
| 1965 | 13.0% | +6.6% |
| 1966 | 13.8% | +6.6% |
| 1967 | 14.7% | +6.6% |
| 1968 | 15.7% | +6.5% |
| 1969 | 16.7% | +6.3% |
| 1970 | 17.7% | +6.1% |
| 1971 | 18.8% | +5.8% |
| 1972 | 19.8% | +5.6% |
| 1973 | 20.8% | +5.3% |
| 1974 | 21.9% | +4.9% |
| 1975 | 22.9% | +4.6% |
| 1976 | 23.9% | +4.3% |
| 1977 | 24.8% | +3.9% |
| 1978 | 25.7% | +3.6% |
| 1979 | 26.5% | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 27.3% | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 28.1% | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 28.9% | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 29.8% | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 30.6% | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 31.4% | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 32.1% | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 32.9% | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 33.6% | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 34.2% | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 34.8% | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 35.3% | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 35.8% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 36.2% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 36.5% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 36.8% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 37.1% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 37.4% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 37.7% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 38.0% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 38.3% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 38.6% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 39.0% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 39.4% | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 39.9% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 40.3% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 40.8% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 41.3% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 41.8% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 42.3% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 42.9% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 43.5% | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 44.0% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 44.7% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 45.3% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 45.9% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 46.6% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 47.3% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 48.0% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 48.7% | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 49.4% | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 50.2% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 51.0% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 51.7% | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 52.5% | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 53.4% | +1.6% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 53.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Benin's 53.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 7.8% | 6.7% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 12.8% | 9.8% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 22.3% | 17.7% | 26.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 30.9% | 27.3% | 34.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.6% | 34.8% | 38.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.2% | 38.3% | 42.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.7% | 42.9% | 48.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.4% | 49.4% | 53.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Benin
- 158 Somalia 55.1% compare
- 159 Cote d'Ivoire 54.5% compare
- 160 Trinidad and Tobago 54.0% compare
- 162 Slovakia 53.2% compare
- 163 Bosnia and Herzegovina 52.7% compare
- 164 Romania 52.2% compare
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 urban and rural areas in Benin?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Benin was 53.4% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 53.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.7% in 1950.
- How does Benin rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Benin ranks 161st out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.