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Benin: key facts and figures
Benin has 14.5 million people, French as an official language, the West African CFA franc and 14 public holidays a year. It ranks 184th of 192 countries for life expectancy.
14.5 millionpeople
XOFcurrency
Frenchofficial language
+229calling code
Rightdriving side
Every figure shows how Benin differs
Population and Demographics
how many people live there, and how that is changing
14.5 millionPopulation
- Annual change+2.49%
- Fertility rate4.5 per woman#12
- Aged 65 and over3.12%#166
Economy
the size of the economy and how fast it is growing
$1,658Output per person
- Total economy$24.6 billion#122
- Real growth+8.1%#10
- Inflation1.1%#142
Human Development
health, schooling and income combined into one index
0.515Human Development Index
- Adjusted for inequality0.316#157
- Life expectancy60.8 years#184
- Mean schooling3.2 years#183
Currency
what money is used and its official code
West African CFA francCurrency
- ISO 4217 codeXOF
- SymbolCFA
- CapitalPorto-Novo
Languages
which languages hold official status
FrenchOfficial languages
- Text directionLeft to right
Practical Country Info
plugs, voltage, driving side and dialling
Type C, Type EPlug types
- Mains voltage230 V
- Driving sideRight
- Calling code+229
- Time zoneAfrica/Porto-Novo
Public Holidays
official days off through the year
14Public holidays in 2026
- Jan 1New Year's Day
- Jan 8Vodun Days public holiday
- Jan 9Vodun Festival public holiday
Digital Adoption
how many people are online and how digital the state is
34%Internet use
- E-government index0.458#146
- Global rank#146
- E-government groupMiddle
Geography and Environment
terrain, climate and physical setting
Coastal countryPhysical setting
- Highest pointAtakora highlands
- ClimateSouthern Benin has a humid equatorial pattern with two rainy seasons, while the centre and north have a more strongly seasonal tropical climate.
Education
how the school system is structured
CompulsoryPrimary status
- Primary duration6 years
- CEP candidates271,890*
- CEP exam centres805*
Nearby in the index
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About this profile
Every figure on this page is a summary of a fuller page, and each links to it. Sources, data years and methodology notes sit on those pages rather than here. Where a subject carries no published figure for Benin, it is left off this profile rather than shown as empty.