Population and Demographics of Benin
A very young population · 41.55% under age 15 in 2024
Children under 15 make up 41.55% of Benin's population, and its age structure leaves 55.33% of residents in the 15-to-64 group. The 2000-to-2024 series records a 100.3% increase, which is more informative than a single annual rate alone. By 2050, the medium path points to 24.43 million, equivalent to a +68.9% change from the 2024 estimate.
Population Over Time in Benin
Over the 24 years from 2000 to 2024, Benin added roughly 7.24 million people, leaving the 2024 total at 14.463M. For 2050, the medium projection is 24.434M. That is a difference of about 9.97 million people from the 2024 estimate. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
The 2024 age structure gives Benin a very young population profile. At 41.55%, the under-15 group is larger than the 3.12% aged 65+, while ages 15 to 64 account for 55.33%. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
The 2024 World Bank sex-share indicator gives Benin a female share of 49.9% and a male share of 50.1%. The split is close to even.
Female and male population share
The World Bank's 2024 series shows a nearly even sex balance: 49.9% female and 50.1% male.
What Is Shaping Population Change
Benin pairs a 2024 annual population rate of +2.49% with fertility of 4.5, alongside a 41.55% child share and 3.12% older-adult share.
Over the longer record, Benin changed +100.3% from 2000 to 2024, before the medium projection moves another +68.9% to 2050; component causes are not assigned without separate births, deaths and migration data.
2024 estimate for Benin. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Benin vs. World
Benin's demographic position looks different depending on the measure: annual change is higher than the world rate, fertility is above it, and its population is younger than the global median-age profile.
| Indicator | Benin | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +2.49% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 4.5 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 18 | 30.6 | 2024 |
No national-only figure is inserted into this world comparison. The country and global values share the same 2024 table and source context.
Key Takeaways
The 2024 total is 14,462,724 people. Annual change in the same harmonized table is +2.49%.
Broad age shares show 3.12% aged 65+ compared with 41.55% under 15; the 15 to 64 group accounts for 55.33%.
The 2024 female and male shares are 49.9% and 50.1% respectively.
The 2050 medium projection is 24.434M, 68.9% above the 2024 estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Benin?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Benin is 14,462,724 people.
Is the population of Benin growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Benin's population is growing, with annual change of +2.49%.
What percentage of the population of Benin is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 3.12% of Benin's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Benin in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Benin's 2050 population at 24,433,809.
What is the fertility rate in Benin?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Benin is 4.5 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.