benin

Benin Travel Guide

Trek Zone
bonjour
(bohn-ZHOOR • French)
Say hello
90°F
Sunday
90°F
Monday

Tourist season

Are May and June good months to visit Benin?

5

May

Shoulder
season

6

June

Off
season

Visa Limitations

Visa requirements for citizens of United States visiting Benin for tourism.

Visa obtained online (e-visa)

A visa is required, but can be obtained through the relevant website.

Did you know?

The population of Benin is around 12.12 mil., which puts the country in 77. place in terms of population (out of 231 countries and dependent territories).

How far is it?

1. The site uses the Great Circle method of calculating distances between two points on the Earth
2. To change the cities for comparison, change Your Country in settings

The distance between Porto-Novo (BJ) and Washington D.C. (US) is 5381 miles

To calculate distance between your location and Porto-Novo click here

Porto-Novo
Porto-Novo
Parakou
Godomey
Abomey-Calavi
Cotonou
Washington D.C.
Washington D.C.
Philadelphia
Houston
Chicago
Los Angeles
New York City
5381
mi

Country Comparison

Compare Benin to any country in the world and see key differences between them side-by-side.

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Time Timezone

00:00

Safety

General travel safety level in Benin on a scale of 1 (safe) to 4 (unsafe).

2

Level 2 • Exercise a high degree of caution (plus additional regional warnings).

Update: 13 Oct 2024

Upcoming holidays

29 May 2025• Ascension Day

6 June 2025• Tabaski

Currency

CFA Franc BCEAO (XOF) - rate compared to selected currencies

100 XOF
Rate
Inversion
EUR
0.15245
65596
GBP
0.12988
76993
USD
0.17231
58036
Update: 3 May 2025

Get ready for your next trip

With just a few clicks you can find the best accommodation, airline tickets, or buy insurance that provides comprehensive protection for your next journey.

Cities and Top Tourist Attractions

From historical cities to picturesque landmarks and fascinating places - don't miss out on these attractions when planning a visit to Benin

Map
Distance matrix
MilesCotonouPorto-NovoAbomeyOuidahParakouNatitingouDjougouBohicon
Cotonou-16642320728223762
Porto-Novo16-653719827723261
Abomey6465-571552191755
Ouidah233757-21027623257
Parakou207198155210-10769155
Natitingou282277219276107-46221
Djougou2372321752326946-176
Bohicon6261557155221176-

Best Ways to Experience Benin

  • Cuisine
  • Animals

Facts and Figures

Fundamental socio-economic statistical data pertaining to the country

Population

77 / 231
Ranking
12 123 200
Fon 39.2%, Adja 15.2%, Yoruba 12.3%, Bariba 9.2%, Peulh 7%, Ottamari 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa 4%, Dendi 2.5%

Area

103 / 230
Ranking
43.5 thous. mi²
It is approximately 1% of the territory of United States.

Life expectancy

182 / 196
Ranking
61.8
Life expectancy expressed in years.men 60women 63.7

Median age

9 / 157
Ranking
17
Average age of population expressed in years.men 16.4women 17.6

Population growth

5 / 172
Ranking
3.36%
The difference between live births and deaths. A negative value means natural loss.

Literacy

123 / 131
Ranking
42.4%
Ability to read, write and count.men 54%women 31.1%

GDP

163 / 194
Ranking
3 504 INT$
GDP per capita is gross domestic product converted to international dollars (Int$) using purchasing power parity rates and divided by total population.
Source: WDI World Bank & CIA World Factbook Country Comparison

Where to next? Discover country icon Niger, a country in the region worth visiting, or use the destination finder