Demographics of Benin. Data from FAO, 2005. Number of inhabitants in thousands.
The demographics of Benin include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
The majority of Benin's 13.3 million people live in the south.[1][2] The population is young, with a life expectancy of 62 years.[1][2]
About 42 African ethnic groups live in this country; these various groups settled in Benin at different times and have also migrated within the country.[2] Ethnic groups include:
the Yoruba in the southeast (migrated from what is now Nigeria in the 12th century);[2]
the Dendi in the north-central area (they came from what is now Mali in the 16th century);[2]
the Fon in the area around Abomey in the South Central;[2] and
the Mina, Xweda, and Aja (who came from what is now Togo in the 12th century) on the coast.[2]
the Ewe people on the coast
French is the official language but is spoken more in urban than in rural areas.[2] The literacy rate is 54% among adult males and 31% among adult females as of 2018;[1] these rates are slowly growing.[citation needed] Recent migrations have brought other African nationals to Benin, including Nigerians, Togolese and Malians.[2] The foreign community also includes many Lebanese and Indians involved in trade and commerce.[2] The personnel of the many European embassies, foreign aid missions, nongovernmental organizations and missionary groups account for much of the 5,500 European population.[2]
Several religions are practiced in Benin.[2]Traditional African religions are widespread (50%), and their practices vary from one ethnic group to the other.[2] Arab merchants introduced Islam in the north and among the Yoruba.[2] European missionaries brought Christianity to the south and central areas of Benin.[2]Muslims account for 20% of the population and Christians for 30%.[2] Many nominal Muslims and Christians continue to practice traditional African religion traditions.[2] It is believed that West African Vodun originated in Benin and was introduced to Brazil and the Caribbean Islands by slaves taken from this particular area of the Slave Coast.[2]
According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects[3][4] the total population of Benin was 12,996,895 in 2021, compared to only 2,255,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 43.7%; 53.3% were between 15 and 65 years of age, while 3% were of 65 years or older.[5]
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Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Total population
Population aged 0–14 (%)
Population aged 15–64 (%)
Population aged 65+ (%)
1950
2 255 000
35.2
57
7.8
1955
2 302 000
37.0
56.6
6.3
1960
2 420 000
38.4
56.1
5.5
1965
2 602 000
40.7
54.3
5
1970
2 850 000
42.7
52.7
4.6
1975
3 182 000
44.2
51.4
4.4
1980
3 611 000
45.2
50.7
4.0
1985
4 140 000
45.9
50.4
3.7
1990
4 773 000
46.2
50.4
3.4
1995
5 651 000
45.5
51.3
3.1
2000
6 518 000
45.6
51.4
3.0
2005
7 634 000
44.6
52.4
3.0
2010
8 850 000
43.7
53.3
3.0
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2011) (Data refer to national projections.): [6]
Age Group
Male
Female
Total
%
Total
4 446 877
4 620 199
9 067 076
100
0–4
828 064
801 448
1 629 512
17.97
5–9
675 912
659 254
1 335 166
14.73
10–14
572 756
564 312
1 137 068
12.54
15–19
553 241
527 958
1 081 199
11.92
20–24
398 920
369 026
767 946
8.47
25–29
291 598
317 891
609 489
6.72
30–34
227 400
310 493
537 893
5.93
35–39
213 385
281 234
494 619
5.46
40–44
175 956
202 155
378 111
4.17
45–49
142 056
166 810
308 866
3.41
50–54
110 074
122 576
232 650
2.57
55–59
82 190
89 780
171 970
1.90
60–64
64 968
70 800
135 768
1.50
65-69
35 915
39 619
75 534
0.83
70-74
36 511
46 229
82 740
0.91
75-79
15 591
20 862
36 453
0.40
80+
22 340
29 752
52 092
0.57
Age group
Male
Female
Total
Percent
0–14
2 076 732
2 025 014
4 101 746
45.24
15–64
2 259 788
2 458 723
4 718 511
52.04
65+
110 357
136 462
246 819
2.72
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2019) (Projections based on the 2013 Population Census.): [7]
Age Group
Male
Female
Total
%
Total
5 832 926
6 024 701
11 857 627
100
0–4
940 701
900 981
1 841 682
15.53
5–9
849 322
827 010
1 676 332
14.14
10–14
849 093
828 651
1 677 744
14.15
15–19
700 987
665 779
1 366 766
11.53
20–24
539 908
515 230
1 055 138
8.90
25–29
405 041
468 706
873 747
7.37
30–34
333 366
445 579
778 945
6.57
35–39
298 390
364 433
662 823
5.59
40–44
245 129
279 544
524 673
4.42
45–49
204 983
214 033
419 016
3.53
50–54
136 813
139 819
276 632
2.33
55–59
120 528
130 415
250 943
2.12
60–64
65 462
67 250
132 712
1.12
65-69
62 527
72 418
134 945
1.14
70-74
31 651
37 112
68 763
0.58
75-79
24 810
33 122
57 932
0.49
80+
24 217
34 620
58 837
0.50
Age group
Male
Female
Total
Percent
0–14
2 639 116
2 556 642
5 195 758
43.82
15–64
3 050 605
3 290 787
6 341 392
53.48
65+
143 205
177 272
320 477
2.70
Vital statistics
Benin's registration of vital events is incomplete. The Population Department of the United Nations has prepared the following estimates. Population estimates account for under numeration in population censuses.
There are several dozen ethnolinguistic groups in Benin, representing three of Africa's language families: Niger–Congo, Nilo-Saharan, and Afroasiatic. The latter is represented by Hausa, living mostly as merchants in the north, while Nilo-Saharan is represented by the Dɛndi people, descending from the Songhai Empire. The Songhay language Dɛndi predominates along the Niger River in the far north, and is used as a lingua franca in Muslim areas throughout the north, in Alibori, Borgou, and Donga provinces. Of the Niger–Congo family, five branches are represented:
Fula woman in Benin.
Mande by the Boko or Busa, now in the far eastern corner (southern Alibori-northern Borgou), but previously more widely spread before being largely absorbed by the Bariba
Benue–Congo by the Yoruba such as those of the old kingdom of Sakete, and the capital city of Porto-Novo, having expanded west from the Yoruba cities of Oyo and Ife in the 12th to 19th centuries
Gur (Voltaic) languages predominate in the four northern provinces, with the Batɔmbu (Bariba) of the old Borgou (Bariba) Kingdom occupying most of the countryside in its successor provinces of Borgou and Alibori, as well as the provincial capital of Parakou; the Yom throughout much of Donga province and its capital Djougou; and several groups in the Atakora, including the Bɛtamaribɛ of the Otammari country around the provincial capital of Natitingou, the Biali, the Waama of Tanguiéta, and the Gulmàceba.
Kwa, especially the Gbe languages spoken by the Tado peoples in the southern and central provinces: the Aja who established themselves in Kouffo province from neighboring Togo and gave rise to the other Tado peoples of Benin, except for the Mina of Mono province, who arrived separately from Togo or Ghana: The Fɔn culture centered in Zou province around the old Fɔn capital of Abomey, but also dominant in Cotonou and southern Atlantique areas such as Ouidah; the Maxi in central Collines, especially around Savalou; the Ayizɔ of central Atlantique (Allada); the Xwla and Xueda in the lagoons of the coast; the Tɔfin of Ouémé; and the Gun. Other Kwa languages are spoken by the Anii in southern Donga in the region of Bassila, and the Fooɖo in western Donga near the town of Ouaké.
The largest ethnic group are the Fon, with 1.7 million speakers of the Fon language (2001), followed by the various Yoruba groups (1.2 million), the Aja (600,000), the Bariba (460,000), the Ayizo (330,000), the Fulani (310,000), and the Gun (240,000). Near the ports in the south can be found many people who are descended from returned Brazilian slaves.[15]
Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2021.[16]
One birth every 1 minutes
One death every 5 minutes
One net migrant every 288 minutes
Net gain of one person every 2 minutes
The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.[17]
Population
13,754,688 (2022 est.)
11,340,504 (July 2018 est.)
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected. (July 2017 est.)
Religions
Muslim 27.7%, Roman Catholic 25.5%, Protestant 13.5% (Celestial 6.7%, Methodist 3.4%, other Protestant 3.4%), Vodoun 11.6%, other Christian 9.5%, other traditional religions 2.6%, other 2.6%, none 5.8% (2013 est.)
Fon and related 39.2%, Adja and related 15.2%, Yoruba and related 12.3%, Bariba and related 9.2%, Fulani and related 7%, Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4%, Dendi and related 2.5%, Other 1.6%, Unspecified 2.9% (2002 est.) [18]
Pew Forum estimated that, in 2010, that Roman Catholics constituted 30% of the country, Protestants 23.2%, and other Christians 0.3%, with all Christians making up 53.4% of the population.[18]
Over 50 languages are spoken in Benin. The official language is French. Of the many indigenous African languages, Fon and Yoruba are the most important in southern Benin. In the north there are at least six major languages, including Baatonum and Fulani.