Benin is an independent state in Western Africa, and a member of the United Nations. Treaties and official documents call it Republic of Benin. Its seat of government is Porto-Novo.
It covers 112,622 km², which ranks it 103rd of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Eritrea and just ahead of Honduras. Put next to a country most people can picture, it is a little larger than Iceland.
It is home to roughly 14.5 million people, placing it 76th of 250 by population — between Guinea above it and Rwanda below. Among the 17 entries in Western Africa it ranks 10th by area and 9th by population.
Geography and neighbours of Benin
Its reference point sits at 9.5° north and 2.3° east, which puts it in the northern hemisphere, roughly 1,058 km from the equator, in what geographers would call the equatorial belt.
Countries on the same parallel, far away in longitude, include Ethiopia, Venezuela and Somalia.
It borders 4 neighbours: Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria and Togo. The largest of them by area is Niger, while the most populous is Nigeria. Together those neighbours hold about 292.8 million people.
With both a coast and land borders, it has the trade options a landlocked country does not.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
How crowded Benin is, and what is spoken there
Population divided by land area gives roughly 128 people per square kilometre, which makes it more crowded than the typical entry on this list. The median across all 250 entries here is about 90 per square kilometre.
The demonym is Beninese, so residents are Beninese.
French is the only official language. Another 45 entries list French too — among them Belgium, Burkina Faso, Burundi and Cameroon.
Against Africa as a whole it is the 28th most populous of 59 entries, and it accounts for 3.2% of everyone living in Western Africa.
Useful reference details
The currency is the West African CFA franc (Fr, XOF). Another 7 entries use the same currency — Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali and Niger among them — so exchange rates move for reasons that have nothing to do with Benin.
Its internet country code is .bj. The international dialling code is +229. In ISO terms it is bj in two letters and BEN in three.
Porto-Novo is the seat of government and the answer most quizzes are looking for.
As a sovereign state it is among the 193 UN members listed here. The other 57 entries are territories, dependencies or observers, which is why totals on this site run to 250 rather than the familiar 195.
Neighbouring countries
Benin shares borders with 4 countries:
Fun facts about Benin
- Population density works out at roughly 128 people per square kilometre.
- In land area it is a little larger than Iceland.
- People from Benin are known as Beninese.
- Its capital city is Porto-Novo.
- It is 76th of 250 by population, with about 14.5 million residents.
- Ethiopia and Venezuela sit at almost the same latitude, on the far side of the globe.
- Its currency, the West African CFA franc, is shared with 7 other entries.
- Ranked by land area, Benin is 103rd out of the 250 countries and territories on this site.
Benin — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Benin?
- The capital of Benin is Porto-Novo.
- How big is Benin?
- Benin covers 112,622 km², ranking 103rd of 250 by land area. That makes it a little larger than Iceland.
- Which countries border Benin?
- Benin borders 4 countries: Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria and Togo. Niger is the largest of them by area.
- What language is spoken in Benin?
- The official language of Benin is French. It is also official in 45 other entries on this list.
- Is Benin a country?
- Yes. Benin is a sovereign state and one of the 193 UN members listed on this site.
- What currency does Benin use?
- Benin uses the West African CFA franc, written Fr (currency code XOF). It is shared with 7 other entries.
- What is the population of Benin?
- Benin has a population of about 14.5 million, which makes it the 76th most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. Guinea sits just above it and Rwanda just below.
- Where is Benin located?
- Benin is in Western Africa, part of Africa. Its reference coordinates are 9.5° north and 2.3° east, roughly 1,058 km from the equator in equatorial latitudes.
