Benin population pyramid 2026
15,170,420 people in 2026 (projected). Benin’s population was older in 1950 than it is today: the median age fell from about 23 to 16 by 2000 as fertility rose and child deaths declined.
- 2026 population
- 15.2Mrank 76 of 237
- Median age
- 18.2 yearsoldest rank 220
- Fertility rate
- 4.34births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful3.2% age 65+
Benin population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Benin age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 40.9% of the population, while 3.2% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 55.9% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Benin’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 79.0: about 79 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (73.3 children and 5.7 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Benin’s population pyramid
A pyramid that grew younger
Benin’s pyramid moved in an unexpected direction in the second half of the twentieth century. In 1950 the median age was about 23 and roughly 8% of the population was 65 or older, a large share for a country where life expectancy was about 35. By 2000 the median age had fallen to 16 and the share aged 65 and over to about 3%. Two forces widened the base. Fertility rose, from about 5.8 children per woman in 1950 to a peak of about 7 around 1980, and infant mortality fell from about 210 per 1,000 births to 85 by 2000, so far more children survived to fill the lower bands.
The 1950 and 1975 pyramids also show women clearly outnumbering men across most adult ages; in 1975 there were only about 84 men per 100 women at ages 30–34. Men in the region have long moved to work in neighbouring countries such as Nigeria and Ghana, but early estimates for Benin are uncertain, and the chart alone cannot establish how much of the gap reflects migration.
A slow decline in births
Fertility has fallen steadily since 1980, to about 4.6 in 2023 and 4.3 in 2026, but remains well above replacement. The 2026 pyramid is therefore still broad at the base, with the largest bands at 0–4, 5–9 and 10–14 and no cohort notches in the UN data. Births outnumber deaths by almost four to one, and with a balanced sex ratio up to the early forties, natural increase alone drives growth of over 2% a year. Benin’s 2026 age structure is closest to those of Cameroon, Mauritania, Sudan, Tanzania and its large eastern neighbour Nigeria.
A gradual transition ahead
Benin sits midway through the demographic transition: mortality has dropped far more than fertility, which is why the youngest bands keep growing. Under the UN medium scenario the population rises from about 15 million in 2026 to 24 million in 2050 and nearly 40 million in 2100, still without reaching a peak. There are still more children under five in 2075 than in 2050, and the median age only reaches about 33 by 2100. With around 41% of the population under 15 in 2026, the country has a high dependency ratio driven by children rather than older people.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Benin’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
In the UN medium scenario births outnumber deaths in every year through 2100. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Benin is projected to record 494,197 births (about 1,353 births a day) and 129,783 deaths, a natural increase of 364,414. Net migration adds −6,318 people, ranking #126 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 9,628,999 births, 2,527,213 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +75,177. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −245,295 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 62.8 years37.2 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 59.8 years33.6 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 13.4 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 50.3per 1,000 births · 210 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 75.6per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 29.0 yearssex ratio at birth 104.2
Women in Benin are projected to live 3.0 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 210 to 50.3 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #13 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 29.0 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Benin
The median age of 18.2 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 4.34 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 61.3 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,170,420 | #76 | Largest first |
| Median age | 18.2 years | #220 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 4.34 | #14 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +2.4% | #23 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 61.3 years | #229 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 3.2% | #209 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Benin
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | 2,255,960 | 14.9% | 1.1M / 1.1M |
| 2 | 5–9 | 2,072,281 | 13.7% | 1M / 1M |
| 3 | 10–14 | 1,882,792 | 12.4% | 953.7K / 929.1K |
| 4 | 15–19 | 1,617,980 | 10.7% | 820.1K / 797.9K |
| 5 | 20–24 | 1,376,680 | 9.1% | 698K / 678.7K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Benin has 7,610,462 males and 7,559,958 females. That is 100.7 males per 100 females, ranking #67 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 50.2% of the population and females for 49.8%. There are 50,504 more males than females overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 82.7 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 104.2 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Benin has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 2,250,476 in 1950 to 15,170,420 in 2026, a change of 574%. Over the same span, median age moved from 22.8 to 18.2 years.
The under-15 share changed from 35.8% to 40.9%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 7.8% to 3.2%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Benin’s population is projected to grow by about 61%, reaching 24,433,809 in 2050. The median age changes from 18.2 to 23.0 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 1.6 percentage points to 4.8%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 33.1%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The population is still rising at the end of the UN medium projection in 2100, when it reaches 39,587,568. The page therefore does not assign a peak year beyond the available horizon.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2,250,476 | 22.8 | 5.75 | 35.4 | 92,031 | 71,297 | −4,603 | +0.7% |
| 1960 | 2,517,286 | 19.8 | 6.28 | 38.8 | 115,188 | 70,626 | −4,722 | +1.6% |
| 1970 | 3,065,057 | 17.6 | 6.74 | 43.0 | 145,533 | 72,374 | −4,851 | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 3,925,251 | 16.2 | 6.99 | 47.7 | 188,100 | 75,128 | −2,946 | +2.8% |
| 1990 | 5,281,479 | 15.8 | 6.74 | 53.0 | 241,433 | 78,376 | −333 | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 7,221,619 | 16.0 | 5.94 | 56.6 | 303,881 | 85,863 | +3,335 | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 9,797,484 | 16.7 | 5.45 | 58.4 | 389,643 | 101,943 | +3,947 | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 13,070,169 | 17.4 | 4.80 | 60.2 | 461,781 | 119,849 | +1,729 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 14,111,034 | 17.8 | 4.56 | 60.8 | 478,062 | 124,132 | −192 | +2.5% |
| 2024* | 14,462,724 | 17.9 | 4.48 | 61.0 | 483,336 | 125,969 | −7,725 | +2.4% |
| 2026* | 15,170,420 | 18.2 | 4.34 | 61.3 | 494,197 | 129,783 | −6,318 | +2.4% |
| 2030* | 16,618,822 | 18.9 | 4.05 | 62.0 | 514,344 | 138,185 | −11,809 | +2.2% |
| 2040* | 20,445,760 | 20.9 | 3.48 | 63.5 | 571,123 | 163,784 | −10,506 | +1.9% |
| 2050* | 24,433,809 | 23.0 | 3.06 | 64.9 | 599,489 | 194,830 | −10,110 | +1.6% |
| 2060* | 28,272,760 | 25.1 | 2.76 | 66.1 | 616,786 | 231,996 | −12,628 | +1.3% |
| 2070* | 31,879,283 | 27.2 | 2.56 | 67.3 | 633,880 | 276,688 | −8,415 | +1.1% |
| 2080* | 35,063,024 | 29.3 | 2.38 | 68.4 | 629,161 | 325,224 | −15,374 | +0.8% |
| 2090* | 37,651,974 | 31.2 | 2.24 | 69.6 | 616,792 | 377,121 | −17,770 | +0.6% |
| 2100* | 39,587,568 | 32.9 | 2.14 | 70.7 | 604,119 | 424,303 | −17,451 | +0.4% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 1,144,778 | 1,111,182 | 2,255,960 | 14.9% |
| 5–9 | 1,049,511 | 1,022,770 | 2,072,281 | 13.7% |
| 10–14 | 953,706 | 929,086 | 1,882,792 | 12.4% |
| 15–19 | 820,052 | 797,928 | 1,617,980 | 10.7% |
| 20–24 | 698,007 | 678,673 | 1,376,680 | 9.1% |
| 25–29 | 596,501 | 582,087 | 1,178,588 | 7.8% |
| 30–34 | 514,333 | 505,416 | 1,019,749 | 6.7% |
| 35–39 | 430,197 | 428,675 | 858,872 | 5.7% |
| 40–44 | 357,400 | 362,723 | 720,123 | 4.7% |
| 45–49 | 283,257 | 292,772 | 576,029 | 3.8% |
| 50–54 | 225,365 | 237,798 | 463,163 | 3.1% |
| 55–59 | 179,766 | 193,364 | 373,130 | 2.5% |
| 60–64 | 138,263 | 152,229 | 290,492 | 1.9% |
| 65–69 | 96,323 | 109,411 | 205,734 | 1.4% |
| 70–74 | 62,145 | 72,971 | 135,116 | 0.9% |
| 75–79 | 36,525 | 45,267 | 81,792 | 0.5% |
| 80–84 | 17,166 | 25,465 | 42,631 | 0.3% |
| 85–89 | 5,862 | 9,441 | 15,303 | 0.1% |
| 90–94 | 1,178 | 2,341 | 3,519 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 123 | 335 | 458 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 6 | 25 | 31 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Benin’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Cameroon99% overlap · median age 18.2
- Mauritania99% overlap · median age 17.5
- Sudan98% overlap · median age 18.8
- Tanzania98% overlap · median age 17.6
- Nigeria98% overlap · median age 18.3
- Guinea98% overlap · median age 18.5
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Benin.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Benin Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/benin/
MLA
“Benin Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/benin/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Benin Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/benin/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Benin in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Benin's population in 2026 is projected at 15,170,420.
What is the median age in Benin?
The projected median age in Benin in 2026 is 18.2 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Benin?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 4.34 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Benin's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 61%, from 15.2M to 24.4M.
What share of Benin is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 3.2% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 4.8%.
How many babies are born in Benin each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 494,197 births and 129,783 deaths in 2026, about 1,353 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 364,414.
What is life expectancy in Benin for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 62.8 years for women and 59.8 years for men, a gap of 3.0 years in favour of women.
Does Benin have more immigrants or emigrants?
Benin is projected to lose about 6,318 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +75,177.
What is the sex ratio in Benin?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 100.7 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.