Benin's land area is 43,537 sq mi, and the total size is 44,310 sq mi, with inland water included. Benin rankes 100/197 by total surface area.
- Occupies 0.08% of the land mass of all countries.
- 41.8% of its territory is agricultural land.
- Benin has 0.1% of the world's agricultural land area.
- 26.5% of its area is covered by forests.
- Has 0.07% of the world's forests.
Benin total size and land area
Benin
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Total surface area |
44,310 sq mi |
100/197 |
| Share all of all countries' surface area | 0.02% | N/A |
| Land area |
43,537 sq mi |
99/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.08% | N/A |
| Population | 14,462,724 | 76/197 |
| Population density | 349 ppl/mi² | 72/197 |
Benin's area by type
|
Benin
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
11,526 sq mi |
91/196 |
| Forest area as share of land | 26.5% | 107/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.07% | N/A |
Agricultural land
|
18,211 sq mi |
90/194 |
| Agricultural land share | 41.8% | 89/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.1% | N/A |
|
Arable land
|
13,691 sq mi |
63/191 |
| Arable land share | 31.4% | 26/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
2,397 sq mi |
49/192 |
| Permanent cropland share | 5.51% | 46/192 |
|
Water area
|
773 sq mi |
95/197 |
| Water as share of total area | 1.75% | 96/197 |
| Roads length |
9,942 mi |
105/176 |
| Land borders length |
1,319 mi |
86/197 |
| Coastline length |
75.2 mi |
137/197 |
| Share of marine protected waters | 0% | 141/155 |
Benin's size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/benin | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Benin but is not accurate for size comparison because it's a 2d map with Mercator projection that distorts territories near the poles. The farther a country is from the equator, the more magnified it appears. More about country size projections.
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2022–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2025, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
Total agricultural land encompasses all areas used for agriculture: territories under permanent and temporary crops and pastures. It includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vineyards, but excludes sites utilized for timber production.
Arable land encompasses fields utilized for temporary crop production, pastures, market or kitchen gardens, and temporarily fallowed land. Land abandoned due to shifting cultivation practices is not included.
Permanent cropland refers to farmland for the long-term cultivation of crops, such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber, which do not require replanting after each harvest. This category encompasses land with permanent crops like flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vines, but does not include land under trees for timber production.
Inland areas under water, such as large rivers, lakes, and some coastal waterways.
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.