Key facts about Benin
Benin has a population of about 14.8 million (2025), and its capital is Porto-Novo.
In 2025, the population grew by 2.4%, and 53.4% of people lived in urban areas. The currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF), and the official language is French.
In Benin, standard time is UTC+01:00, traffic drives on the right and the international calling code is +229.
Benin's gross domestic product (GDP) was $24.6 billion in 2025, or $1,658 per person. It exported $4.2 billion and imported $4.9 billion of goods and services in 2025, so trade equaled 37% of GDP.
| Capital | Porto-Novo |
|---|---|
| Population (2025) | 14,814,460 |
| Land area (2024) | 112,760 km² (43,537 sq mi) |
| Currency | West African CFA franc (XOF) |
| Official language | French |
| Time zone (standard) | UTC+01:00 |
| Calling code | +229 |
| Internet domain | .bj |
| Drives on the | right |
| GDP (2025) | $24.6 billion |
| GDP per person (2025) | $1,658 |
Benin's GDP grew from $11.8 billion in 2016 to $24.6 billion in 2025, while the population went from 11,697,842 to 14,814,460. The largest one-year rise was in 2025, up 14.4%. Divided by population, that is about $1,011 per person in 2016 and $1,658 in 2025.
Show the numbers
| Year | GDP (current US$) | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $24.57 billion | 14,814,460 |
| 2024 | $21.48 billion | 14,462,724 |
| 2023 | $19.67 billion | 14,111,034 |
| 2022 | $17.43 billion | 13,759,501 |
| 2021 | $17.69 billion | 13,413,417 |
| 2020 | $15.69 billion | 13,070,169 |
| 2019 | $14.39 billion | 12,726,755 |
| 2018 | $14.26 billion | 12,383,347 |
| 2017 | $12.7 billion | 12,039,780 |
| 2016 | $11.82 billion | 11,697,842 |