Located on the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Benin is a long and narrow rectangular country with a land area of 114,763 km2. Other important facts about the West African state include its population of 14,736,946 (growing at 3.5% a year); its labour force, 85% of which is engaged in the informal economy (World Bank 2025); and its exposure to violence by non-state armed groups from the Central Sahel in its northernmost departments. (FAO/GIEWS 2025)
But Benin is far from a country of deficits. One of Africa’s most stable nations, it has not experienced war since independence from France in 1960. Its biggest city and economic capital, Cotonou, hosts a large port and is a lifeline for goods travelling to and from landlocked Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad. Its north and centre have a low population density of 12–33 inhabitants per km², providing ample arable land.
But Benin is far from a country of deficits. One of Africa’s most stable nations, it has not experienced war since independence from France in 1960. Its biggest city and economic capital, Cotonou, hosts a large port and is a lifeline for goods travelling to and from landlocked Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad. Its north and centre have a low population density of 12–33 inhabitants per km², providing ample arable land.
Publisher
CIFOR-ICRAF: Bogor, Indonesia and Nairobi, Kenya
Publication year
2025
Authors
Language
English
Geographic
Benin
