Rural population density in Benin

Benin: Rural population density was 194.31 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 2011. ▼ Falling

Latest (2011)
194.31 rural population per sq. km of arable land
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
36th
of 53 countries
All-time high
239.99 rural population per sq. km of arable land
in 1961
All-time low
160.15 rural population per sq. km of arable land
in 2004
Years of data
51
1961–2011

Rural population density in Benin, 1961–2011

050100150200250196119862011

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates. Measured in rural population per sq. km of arable land.

Analysis

The most recent figure for rural population density in Benin is 194.31 rural population per sq. km of arable land, measured in 2011.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 15.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, rural population density in Benin peaked at 239.99 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 1961 and was at its lowest, 160.15 rural population per sq. km of arable land, in 2004.

That places Benin 36th out of 53 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.

Rural population density in Benin, year by year

Annual values for Rural population density (rural population per sq. km of arable land) in Benin, 1961 to 2011.
Year rural population per sq. km of arable land Change
1961 239.99 rural population per sq. km of arable land
1962 236.44 rural population per sq. km of arable land -1.5%
1963 233.22 rural population per sq. km of arable land -1.4%
1964 230.31 rural population per sq. km of arable land -1.2%
1965 227.67 rural population per sq. km of arable land -1.1%
1966 222.62 rural population per sq. km of arable land -2.2%
1967 215.94 rural population per sq. km of arable land -3.0%
1968 211.8 rural population per sq. km of arable land -1.9%
1969 199.22 rural population per sq. km of arable land -5.9%
1970 197.82 rural population per sq. km of arable land -0.7%
1971 191.43 rural population per sq. km of arable land -3.2%
1972 188.56 rural population per sq. km of arable land -1.5%
1973 187.38 rural population per sq. km of arable land -0.6%
1974 184.94 rural population per sq. km of arable land -1.3%
1975 181.4 rural population per sq. km of arable land -1.9%
1976 179.32 rural population per sq. km of arable land -1.1%
1977 177.41 rural population per sq. km of arable land -1.1%
1978 176.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land -0.3%
1979 176.44 rural population per sq. km of arable land -0.3%
1980 174.9 rural population per sq. km of arable land -0.9%
1981 174.45 rural population per sq. km of arable land -0.3%
1982 175.27 rural population per sq. km of arable land +0.5%
1983 177.28 rural population per sq. km of arable land +1.1%
1984 179.31 rural population per sq. km of arable land +1.1%
1985 181.34 rural population per sq. km of arable land +1.1%
1986 183.2 rural population per sq. km of arable land +1.0%
1987 185.04 rural population per sq. km of arable land +1.0%
1988 187 rural population per sq. km of arable land +1.1%
1989 189.24 rural population per sq. km of arable land +1.2%
1990 193.63 rural population per sq. km of arable land +2.3%
1991 198.16 rural population per sq. km of arable land +2.3%
1992 202.47 rural population per sq. km of arable land +2.2%
1993 205.69 rural population per sq. km of arable land +1.6%
1994 205.07 rural population per sq. km of arable land -0.3%
1995 199.66 rural population per sq. km of arable land -2.6%
1996 187.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land -5.9%
1997 178.54 rural population per sq. km of arable land -5.0%
1998 170.41 rural population per sq. km of arable land -4.6%
1999 170.57 rural population per sq. km of arable land +0.1%
2000 168.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land -1.0%
2001 167.71 rural population per sq. km of arable land -0.7%
2002 164.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land -1.7%
2003 162.4 rural population per sq. km of arable land -1.5%
2004 160.15 rural population per sq. km of arable land -1.4%
2005 166.8 rural population per sq. km of arable land +4.2%
2006 183.71 rural population per sq. km of arable land +10.1%
2007 187.22 rural population per sq. km of arable land +1.9%
2008 183.33 rural population per sq. km of arable land -2.1%
2009 197.99 rural population per sq. km of arable land +8.0%
2010 194.22 rural population per sq. km of arable land -1.9%
2011 194.31 rural population per sq. km of arable land +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 224.13 rural population per sq. km of arable land 199.22 rural population per sq. km of arable land 239.99 rural population per sq. km of arable land 9
1970s 184.16 rural population per sq. km of arable land 176.44 rural population per sq. km of arable land 197.82 rural population per sq. km of arable land 10
1980s 180.7 rural population per sq. km of arable land 174.45 rural population per sq. km of arable land 189.24 rural population per sq. km of arable land 10
1990s 191.21 rural population per sq. km of arable land 170.41 rural population per sq. km of arable land 205.69 rural population per sq. km of arable land 10
2000s 174.31 rural population per sq. km of arable land 160.15 rural population per sq. km of arable land 197.99 rural population per sq. km of arable land 10
2010s 194.26 rural population per sq. km of arable land 194.22 rural population per sq. km of arable land 194.31 rural population per sq. km of arable land 2

Countries ranked near Benin

  1. 33 Nigeria 227.39 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
  2. 34 Burkina Faso 218.77 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
  3. 35 Angola 195.5 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
  4. 37 Zimbabwe 190.94 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
  5. 38 Senegal 190.49 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
  6. 39 Chad 183.87 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare

See the full ranking of 59 places →

More environment data for Benin

All data for Benin →

Frequently asked questions

What is rural population density in Benin?
Rural population density in Benin was 194.31 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates.
What is the highest rural population density recorded in Benin?
The highest recorded value was 239.99 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 1961.
What is the lowest rural population density recorded in Benin?
The lowest recorded value was 160.15 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 2004.
How does Benin rank for rural population density?
Benin ranks 36th out of 53 countries with data for 2011.
Is rural population density rising or falling in Benin?
Over the last ten years it is up 15.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Benin data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates, published as part of Rural population density (rural population per sq. km of arable land). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Rural population density in Benin. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/rural-population-density-rural-population-per-sq-km-of-arable-land/benin/

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About this data

Indicator
Rural population density (rural population per sq. km of arable land)
Unit
rural population per sq. km of arable land
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
59 places, 2,977 data points, 1961–2011
Last refreshed

Rural population density is the rural population divided by the arable land area. Rural population is calculated as the difference between the total population and the urban population. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.