Benin has a population density of 349 people per square mile compared to 407 people in Ghana. Benin has 85,413 sq ft of land per person vs 74,579 sq ft in Ghana. Benin and Ghana rank 72nd and 63rd by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Benin has 0.18% of the world's population and 0.08% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.42% of the population and 0.15% of the land area for Ghana, making the population density in Benin 14.3% lower than in Ghana.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Benin
|
Ghana
|
|
| 2026 | 349 | 407 |
| 2025 | 340 | 399 |
| 2024 | 332 | 392 |
| 2023 | 324 | 385 |
| 2022 | 316 | 377 |
| 2021 | 308 | 370 |
| 2020 | 300 | 363 |
| 2019 | 292.3 | 356 |
| 2018 | 284.4 | 349 |
| 2017 | 276.5 | 342 |
| 2016 | 268.7 | 334 |
| 2015 | 260.9 | 327 |
| 2014 | 253.3 | 319 |
| 2013 | 246 | 312 |
| 2012 | 238.8 | 304 |
| 2011 | 231.8 | 297 |
| 2010 | 225 | 290 |
| 2009 | 218.4 | 283 |
| 2008 | 212 | 276 |
| 2007 | 205.7 | 269.1 |
| 2006 | 199.7 | 262.3 |
| 2005 | 193.5 | 255.5 |
| 2004 | 187.4 | 248.9 |
| 2003 | 181.8 | 242.4 |
| 2002 | 176.3 | 236 |
| 2001 | 171 | 229.6 |
| 2000 | 165.9 | 223.5 |
| 1999 | 160.8 | 218 |
| 1998 | 155.9 | 212.7 |
| 1997 | 151.2 | 207.6 |
| 1996 | 146.8 | 202.7 |
| 1995 | 143 | 198 |
| 1994 | 140 | 193.4 |
| 1993 | 134.9 | 188.8 |
| 1992 | 129 | 184.2 |
| 1991 | 125.1 | 179.7 |
| 1990 | 121.3 | 175.2 |
| 1989 | 117.6 | 170.8 |
| 1988 | 114.1 | 166.6 |
| 1987 | 110.7 | 162.6 |
| 1986 | 107.4 | 159 |
| 1985 | 104.2 | 155.5 |
| 1984 | 101.2 | 152.2 |
| 1983 | 98.3 | 148.3 |
| 1982 | 95.5 | 143.9 |
| 1981 | 92.8 | 139.8 |
| 1980 | 90.2 | 135.9 |
| 1979 | 87.7 | 132 |
| 1978 | 85.4 | 128 |
| 1977 | 83.2 | 124.2 |
| 1976 | 81.1 | 120.6 |
| 1975 | 79.1 | 117.2 |
| 1974 | 77.2 | 113.8 |
| 1973 | 75.4 | 110.6 |
| 1972 | 73.7 | 107.4 |
| 1971 | 72 | 104.4 |
| 1970 | 70.4 | 101.6 |
| 1969 | 68.9 | 98.9 |
| 1968 | 67.4 | 96.5 |
| 1967 | 66 | 94.2 |
| 1966 | 64.6 | 91.9 |
| 1965 | 63.3 | 89.7 |
| 1964 | 62.1 | 87.6 |
| 1963 | 60.9 | 85.5 |
| 1962 | 59.8 | 83.5 |
| 1961 | 58.8 | 81.5 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/benin/ghana | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Benin increased by 74.6%, compared to a 55% growth in Ghana.
In 2006, Benin ranked 97th by population density and is 72nd now. Ghana was 78th in 2006 and ranks 63rd out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Benin
|
Ghana
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 349 ppl/mi² | 407 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 72/197 | 63/197 |
| Population |
15272847
|
35885254
|
| Land area | 43,537 sq mi | 87,851 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 83,922 sq ft | 71,139 sq ft |
| Rural population | 47.5% | 41.6% |
| Urban population | 52.5% | 58.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 15.8% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Benin
|
Ghana
|
|
| 2024 | 52.5% | 58.4% |
| 2023 | 51.7% | 57.8% |
| 2022 | 51% | 57.3% |
| 2021 | 50.2% | 56.7% |
| 2020 | 49.4% | 56.2% |
| 2019 | 48.7% | 55.7% |
| 2018 | 48% | 55.2% |
| 2017 | 47.3% | 54.7% |
| 2016 | 46.6% | 54.2% |
| 2015 | 45.9% | 53.6% |
| 2014 | 45.3% | 53.1% |
| 2013 | 44.7% | 52.5% |
| 2012 | 44% | 51.9% |
| 2011 | 43.5% | 51.3% |
| 2010 | 42.9% | 50.7% |
| 2009 | 42.3% | 50.1% |
| 2008 | 41.8% | 49.5% |
| 2007 | 41.3% | 48.8% |
| 2006 | 40.8% | 48.1% |
| 2005 | 40.3% | 47.5% |
| 2004 | 39.9% | 46.8% |
| 2003 | 39.4% | 46.1% |
| 2002 | 39% | 45.3% |
| 2001 | 38.6% | 44.6% |
| 2000 | 38.3% | 43.9% |
| 1999 | 38% | 43.2% |
| 1998 | 37.7% | 42.5% |
| 1997 | 37.4% | 41.6% |
| 1996 | 37.1% | 40.8% |
| 1995 | 36.8% | 40% |
| 1994 | 36.5% | 39.1% |
| 1993 | 36.2% | 38.2% |
| 1992 | 35.8% | 37.4% |
| 1991 | 35.3% | 36.5% |
| 1990 | 34.8% | 35.7% |
| 1989 | 34.2% | 35% |
| 1988 | 33.6% | 34.3% |
| 1987 | 32.9% | 33.6% |
| 1986 | 32.1% | 33% |
| 1985 | 31.4% | 32.5% |
| 1984 | 30.6% | 32.1% |
| 1983 | 29.8% | 31.8% |
| 1982 | 28.9% | 31.5% |
| 1981 | 28.1% | 31.2% |
| 1980 | 27.3% | 31% |
| 1979 | 26.5% | 30.8% |
| 1978 | 25.7% | 30.7% |
| 1977 | 24.8% | 30.5% |
| 1976 | 23.9% | 30.3% |
| 1975 | 22.9% | 30.1% |
| 1974 | 21.9% | 30% |
| 1973 | 20.8% | 29.8% |
| 1972 | 19.8% | 29.5% |
| 1971 | 18.8% | 29.3% |
| 1970 | 17.7% | 29% |
| 1969 | 16.7% | 28.6% |
| 1968 | 15.7% | 28.2% |
| 1967 | 14.7% | 27.7% |
| 1966 | 13.8% | 27.2% |
| 1965 | 13% | 26.6% |
| 1964 | 12.2% | 26% |
| 1963 | 11.4% | 25.3% |
| 1962 | 10.8% | 24.6% |
| 1961 | 10.2% | 23.9% |
| 1960 | 9.79% | 23.3% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/benin/ghana | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 39.9% to 52.5% in Benin and from 46.8% to 58.4% in Ghana.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/benin/ghana | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2010–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.