Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Benin
Benin: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 72.6% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Benin, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban and rural areas in Benin is 72.6%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Benin peaked at 72.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 56.2%, in 1955.
Benin ranks 130th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Benin, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 56.6% | — |
| 1955 | 56.2% | -0.7% |
| 1960 | 56.4% | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 57.2% | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 58.5% | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 60.0% | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 60.5% | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 61.3% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 63.9% | +4.2% |
| 1995 | 65.7% | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 67.5% | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 70.0% | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 71.3% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 72.4% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 72.6% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 56.4% | 56.2% | 56.6% | 2 |
| 1960s | 56.8% | 56.4% | 57.2% | 2 |
| 1970s | 59.2% | 58.5% | 60.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 60.9% | 60.5% | 61.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 64.8% | 63.9% | 65.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 68.7% | 67.5% | 70.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 71.8% | 71.3% | 72.4% | 2 |
| 2020s | 72.6% | 72.6% | 72.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More reference data data for Benin
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1979 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.67 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1562 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6635 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.5244 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.56 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.8505 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Benin?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Benin was 72.6% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 72.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.2% in 1955.
- How does Benin rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Benin ranks 130th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.