Population: 5,341,710 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.33% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 47.67 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 14.36 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 110.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 51.77 years
male: 49.92 years
female: 53.68 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.79 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
adjective: Beninese

Ethnic divisions: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500

Religions: indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%

Languages: French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 23%
male: 32%
female: 16%
Labor force: 1.9 million (1987)
by occupation: agriculture 60%, transport, commerce, and public services 38%, industry less than 2%
note: 49% of population of working age (1985)

NOTE: The information regarding Benin on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Benin People 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Benin People 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.