Demographics of Benin
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 million people live in the south. The population is young, with a life expectancy of 62 years.
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. Ethnic groups include:
- the Yoruba in the southeast and centre ;
- the Dendi in the north-central area ;
- the Bariba and the Fula who entered the country as nomads from further west in the northeast;
- the Betammaribe and the Somba in the Atacora Range;
- the Fon in the area around Abomey in the South Central; and
- the Mina, Xweda, and Aja on the coast.
Several religions are practiced in Benin. Traditional African religions are widespread, and their practices vary from one ethnic group to the other. Arab merchants introduced Islam in the north and among the Yoruba. European missionaries brought Christianity to the south and central areas of Benin. Muslims account for 20% of the population and Christians for 30%. Many nominal Muslims and Christians continue to practice traditional African religion traditions. 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.
Population
According to the total population of Benin was in, 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.| 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 |
Vital statistics
Benin's registration of vital events is incomplete. The Population Department of the United Nations has prepared the following estimates.Births and deaths
| Year | Population | Live births | Deaths | Natural increase | Crude birth rate | Crude death rate | Rate of natural increase | TFR |
| 2012* | 376 439 | 79 116 | 297 323 | 40,2 | 8,4 | 31,8 |
- Data are projections presented in Annuaire Statistique 2010.
Fertility and births
| Year | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR |
| 1996 | 42.2 | 6.32 | 37.8 | 5.24 | 44.8 | 7.02 |
| 2001 | 41.1 | 5.6 | 36.0 | 4.4 | 43.8 | 6.4 |
| 2006 | 41.5 | 5.7 | 38.7 | 4.9 | 43.0 | 6.3 |
| 2011–12 | 33.3 | 4.9 | 33.1 | 4.3 | 33.3 | 5.4 |
| 2017–18 | 40.5 | 5.7 | 39.1 | 5.2 | 41.6 | 6.1 |
Fertility data as of 2011-2012 :
| Department | Total fertility rate | Percentage of women age 15-49 currently pregnant | Mean number of children ever born to women age 40-49 |
| Alibori | 5.8 | 15.0 | 6.4 |
| Atacora | 5.8 | 9.1 | 6.0 |
| Atlantique | 5.1 | 9.2 | 4.8 |
| Borgou | 5.2 | 9.3 | 5.2 |
| Collines | 4.7 | 8.1 | 5.8 |
| Couffo | 5.1 | 11.7 | 6.0 |
| Donga | 4.7 | 11.0 | 6.0 |
| Littoral | 3.6 | 6.3 | 3.4 |
| Mono | 4.6 | 10.8 | 4.7 |
| Ouémé | 5.2 | 10.0 | 5.1 |
| Plateau | 5.3 | 7.3 | 4.9 |
| Zou | 5.0 | 10.2 | 5.1 |
Life expectancy
Ethnic groups
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, descending from the Songhai Empire. The Dɛndi language 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:- Mande by the Boko or Busa, now in the far eastern corner, but previously more widely spread before being largely absorbed by the Bariba
- Senegambian by the nomadic Fulani scattered across the northeast
- 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 languages predominate in the four northern provinces, with the Batɔmbu of the old Borgou 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 ; 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.
Other demographic statistics
Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2019.- One birth every 1 minute
- One death every 5 minutes
- One net migrant every 288 minutes
- Net gain of one person every 2 minutes
Population
Age structure
[Total fertility rate]
Median age
Population growth rate
Birth rate
Death rate
Net migration rate
Mother's mean age at first birth
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Urbanization
Sex ratio
Life expectancy at birth
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
HIV/AIDS
Major infectious diseases
Nationality
English demonym and adjective:- Beninese
- Béninois
- Béninoise
- Béninoises
Ethnic groups