Benin: cities by population
Benin has a population of 15,170,419 (UN estimate, 2026), with Porto-Novo as its capital. The 50 largest of its 77 recorded towns and cities, ranked.
+110%
since 2000 (7,221,619)
+61%
projected by 2050 (24,433,809)
135
people per km²
Figures are the latest available in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), which draws on national censuses of varying dates — treat them as recent, not same-year. Country totals are UN World Population Prospects 2024 (medium variant) where the UN lists the country separately; the handful it reports under a parent state keep a GeoNames figure and are marked as such. Sources & method.
Largest cities in Benin
| # | Place | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cotonou | Littoral | 679,012 |
| 2 | Abomey-Calavi | Atlantique | 385,755 |
| 3 | Porto-Novo | Ouémé | 264,320 |
| 4 | Parakou | Borgou | 255,478 |
| 5 | Godomè | Atlantique | 253,262 |
| 6 | Abomey | Zou | 117,824 |
| 7 | Djougou | Donga | 94,773 |
| 8 | Bohicon | Zou | 93,744 |
| 9 | Ekpé | Ouémé | 75,313 |
| 10 | Nikki | Borgou | 66,109 |
| 11 | Malanville | Alibori | 64,639 |
| 12 | Kandi | Alibori | 56,043 |
| 13 | Kérou | Atakora | 54,276 |
| 14 | Natitingou | Atakora | 53,284 |
| 15 | Pobé | Plateau | 49,232 |
| 16 | Ouidah | Atlantique | 47,616 |
| 17 | Lokossa | Mono | 47,246 |
| 18 | Bassila | Donga | 46,569 |
| 19 | Tchaourou | Borgou | 43,862 |
| 20 | Cové | Zou | 43,554 |
| 21 | Sakété | Plateau | 43,541 |
| 22 | Comé | Collines | 42,586 |
| 23 | Missérété | Ouémé | 41,657 |
| 24 | Dogbo | Kouffo | 41,341 |
| 25 | Kétou | Plateau | 39,626 |
| 26 | Savalou | Collines | 38,162 |
| 27 | Banikoara | Alibori | 37,571 |
| 28 | Péhonko | Atakora | 37,217 |
| 29 | Kalalé | Borgou | 35,513 |
| 30 | Sinendé | Borgou | 35,267 |
| 31 | Banigbé | Plateau | 31,984 |
| 32 | Savé | Collines | 31,444 |
| 33 | Bembèrèkè | Borgou | 31,176 |
| 34 | Dassa-Zoumè | Collines | 29,461 |
| 35 | Kopargo | Donga | 28,605 |
| 36 | Kouandé | Atlantique | 27,197 |
| 37 | Tanguiéta | Atakora | 27,094 |
| 38 | Kpozoun | Zou | 26,688 |
| 39 | Sé | Mono | 26,627 |
| 40 | Ségbana | Alibori | 26,440 |
| 41 | Aplahoué | Kouffo | 26,340 |
| 42 | Cobly | Atakora | 24,878 |
| 43 | Matéri | Atakora | 24,490 |
| 44 | Adjarra | Ouémé | 24,132 |
| 45 | Djidja | Zou | 23,781 |
| 46 | Klouékanmè | Kouffo | 23,763 |
| 47 | Semi | Ouémé | 23,636 |
| 48 | Allada | Atlantique | 23,287 |
| 49 | Ndali | Borgou | 23,264 |
| 50 | Boukoumbé | Atakora | 22,386 |
Twenty years earlier: Benin in the 2005 World Gazetteer — population then 7,317,178.
Common questions
What is the population of Benin?
Benin has a population of 15,170,419, the UN World Population Prospects estimate for 2026. The UN's medium-variant projection for 2050 is 24,433,809 — a forecast, not a measurement.
What is the capital of Benin?
Porto-Novo. The largest place we record there is Cotonou, with 679,012 people.