Skip to content

Population density: Benin vs Tanzania compared

Updated on by Georank team

Benin has a population density of 349 people per square mile compared to 212.2 people in Tanzania. Benin has 85,413 sq ft of land per person vs 148,726 sq ft in Tanzania. Benin and Tanzania rank 72nd and 106th 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 0.84% of the population and 0.59% of the land area for Tanzania, making the population density in Benin 64.2% higher than in Tanzania.

Population density by year

Benin
Tanzania

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Benin Tanzania
2026 349 212.2
2025 340 206.3
2024 332 200.5
2023 324 194.8
2022 316 189.2
2021 308 183.7
2020 300 178.3
2019 292.3 173
2018 284.4 167.9
2017 276.5 162.7
2016 268.7 157.4
2015 260.9 152.1
2014 253.3 147.2
2013 246 142.8
2012 238.8 138.5
2011 231.8 134.6
2010 225 130.9
2009 218.4 127.6
2008 212 124.5
2007 205.7 121.2
2006 199.7 117.8
2005 193.5 114.6
2004 187.4 111.4
2003 181.8 108.4
2002 176.3 105.6
2001 171 102.9
2000 165.9 100.2
1999 160.8 97.4
1998 155.9 94.8
1997 151.2 92.3
1996 146.8 90.5
1995 143 88.8
1994 140 86.1
1993 134.9 82.8
1992 129 80.3
1991 125.1 78.3
1990 121.3 76.3
1989 117.6 74.4
1988 114.1 72.4
1987 110.7 70.3
1986 107.4 68
1985 104.2 65.8
1984 101.2 63.7
1983 98.3 61.6
1982 95.5 59.6
1981 92.8 57.8
1980 90.2 56.1
1979 87.7 54.4
1978 85.4 52.6
1977 83.2 50.7
1976 81.1 48.9
1975 79.1 47.2
1974 77.2 45.5
1973 75.4 43.9
1972 73.7 42.3
1971 72 40.9
1970 70.4 39.5
1969 68.9 38.1
1968 67.4 36.8
1967 66 35.7
1966 64.6 34.6
1965 63.3 33.5
1964 62.1 32.5
1963 60.9 31.6
1962 59.8 30.7
1961 58.8 29.8

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/tanzania | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Benin increased by 74.6%, compared to a 80.1% growth in Tanzania.

In 2006, Benin ranked 97th by population density and is 72nd now. Tanzania was 128th in 2006 and ranks 106th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Benin
Tanzania
1x
Year Urban population
Benin Tanzania
2024 52.5% 36.2%
2023 51.7% 35.5%
2022 51% 34.8%
2021 50.2% 34.4%
2020 49.4% 33.9%
2019 48.7% 33.3%
2018 48% 32.8%
2017 47.3% 32.3%
2016 46.6% 31.8%
2015 45.9% 31.2%
2014 45.3% 30.6%
2013 44.7% 30.1%
2012 44% 29.5%
2011 43.5% 28.9%
2010 42.9% 28.2%
2009 42.3% 27.5%
2008 41.8% 26.8%
2007 41.3% 26.1%
2006 40.8% 25.4%
2005 40.3% 24.7%
2004 39.9% 24.1%
2003 39.4% 23.5%
2002 39% 23%
2001 38.6% 22.6%
2000 38.3% 22.2%
1999 38% 21.8%
1998 37.7% 21.5%
1997 37.4% 21.1%
1996 37.1% 20.8%
1995 36.8% 20.5%
1994 36.5% 20.2%
1993 36.2% 19.9%
1992 35.8% 19.6%
1991 35.3% 19.3%
1990 34.8% 18.9%
1989 34.2% 18.6%
1988 33.6% 18.2%
1987 32.9% 17.8%
1986 32.1% 17.4%
1985 31.4% 17%
1984 30.6% 16.6%
1983 29.8% 16.2%
1982 28.9% 15.7%
1981 28.1% 15.3%
1980 27.3% 14.8%
1979 26.5% 14.2%
1978 25.7% 13.7%
1977 24.8% 13%
1976 23.9% 12.1%
1975 22.9% 11.2%
1974 21.9% 10.1%
1973 20.8% 9.05%
1972 19.8% 8.03%
1971 18.8% 7.08%
1970 17.7% 6.26%
1969 16.7% 5.62%
1968 15.7% 5.19%
1967 14.7% 5.04%
1966 13.8% 5%
1965 13% 4.97%
1964 12.2% 4.95%
1963 11.4% 4.93%
1962 10.8% 4.92%
1961 10.2% 4.9%
1960 9.79% 4.89%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/benin/tanzania | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 39.9% to 52.5% in Benin and from 24.1% to 36.2% in Tanzania.

Densely populated cities

Benin
City Population
Cotonou 780K
Porto-Novo 234K
Abomey 90.2K
Tanzania
City Population
Dar es Salaam 4.72M
Zanzibar 710K
Mwanza 706K
Mbeya 542K
Arusha 416K
Tanga 221K
Dodoma 214K
Morogoro 207K
Moshi 145K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

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/tanzania | 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:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2002–2025, 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.