Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Benin

Benin: Exclusive breastfeeding rate was 41.4% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
41.4%
World rank
39th
of 72 countries
All-time high
43.0%
in 2008
All-time low
10.1%
in 1996
Years of data
7
1996–2018

Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Benin, 1996–2018

102030401996200720181996: 10.1 % of children under 6 months2001: 37.8 % of children under 6 months2006: 42.3 % of children under 6 months2008: 43 % of children under 6 months2012: 32.5 % of children under 6 months2014: 41.4 % of children under 6 months2018: 41.4 % of children under 6 months

Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children under 6 months.

Analysis

The most recent figure for exclusive breastfeeding rate in Benin is 41.4%, measured in 2018.

The figure is down 3.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, exclusive breastfeeding rate in Benin peaked at 43.0% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 10.1%, in 1996.

That places Benin 39th out of 72 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 10.1% 10.1% 10.1% 1
2000s 41.0% 37.8% 43.0% 3
2010s 38.4% 32.5% 41.4% 3

Countries ranked near Benin

  1. 36 Kyrgyzstan 45.6% compare
  2. 37 Ghana 42.9% compare
  3. 38 Zimbabwe 41.9% compare
  4. 40 Mozambique 41.0% compare
  5. 41 Senegal 40.8% compare
  6. 42 Turkey 40.7% compare

See the full ranking of 72 places →

More reference data data for Benin

All data for Benin →

Frequently asked questions

What is exclusive breastfeeding rate in Benin?
Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Benin was 41.4% in 2018, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in Benin?
The highest recorded value was 43.0% in 2008.
What is the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in Benin?
The lowest recorded value was 10.1% in 1996.
How does Benin rank for exclusive breastfeeding rate?
Benin ranks 39th out of 72 countries with data for 2018.
Is exclusive breastfeeding rate rising or falling in Benin?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Benin data come from?
The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Exclusive breastfeeding rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 7 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Exclusive breastfeeding rate
Unit
% of children under 6 months
Source
Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
72 places, 509 data points, 1986–2020
Last refreshed

The share of infants less than six months old who were fed only with breast milk in the past 24 hours. WHO and UNICEF recommend that children be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life – meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water.