Number of cattle in Benin
Benin: Number of cattle was 2.76 million animals in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
2.76 million animals
Change on year
up 9.3%
World rank
73rd
of 197 countries
All-time high
2.76 million animals
in 2024
All-time low
321,609 animals
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Number of cattle in Benin, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in animals.
Analysis
Benin recorded 2.76 million animals for number of cattle in 2024. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.3% on the previous year and up 24.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of cattle in Benin peaked at 2.76 million animals in 2024 and was at its lowest, 321,609 animals, in 1961.
That places Benin 73rd out of 197 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of cattle in Benin, year by year
| Year | animals | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 321,609 animals | — |
| 1962 | 346,145 animals | +7.6% |
| 1963 | 370,099 animals | +6.9% |
| 1964 | 393,100 animals | +6.2% |
| 1965 | 449,300 animals | +14.3% |
| 1966 | 506,700 animals | +12.8% |
| 1967 | 527,704 animals | +4.1% |
| 1968 | 524,554 animals | -0.6% |
| 1969 | 565,670 animals | +7.8% |
| 1970 | 566,400 animals | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 587,800 animals | +3.8% |
| 1972 | 646,200 animals | +9.9% |
| 1973 | 683,760 animals | +5.8% |
| 1974 | 633,760 animals | -7.3% |
| 1975 | 721,712 animals | +13.9% |
| 1976 | 711,350 animals | -1.4% |
| 1977 | 725,577 animals | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 740,089 animals | +2.0% |
| 1979 | 754,944 animals | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 828,990 animals | +9.8% |
| 1981 | 853,859 animals | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 879,746 animals | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 906,300 animals | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 933,500 animals | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 961,500 animals | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 895,100 animals | -6.9% |
| 1987 | 896,403 animals | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 925,200 animals | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 918,130 animals | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 1.08 million animals | +17.6% |
| 1991 | 1.09 million animals | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 1.14 million animals | +4.9% |
| 1993 | 1.14 million animals | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 1.29 million animals | +12.9% |
| 1995 | 1.09 million animals | -15.5% |
| 1996 | 1.30 million animals | +19.6% |
| 1997 | 1.34 million animals | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 1.37 million animals | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 1.44 million animals | +4.9% |
| 2000 | 1.54 million animals | +7.1% |
| 2001 | 1.60 million animals | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 1.64 million animals | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 1.68 million animals | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 1.72 million animals | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 1.72 million animals | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.81 million animals | +5.4% |
| 2007 | 1.86 million animals | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 1.91 million animals | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 1.95 million animals | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 2.00 million animals | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 2.06 million animals | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 2.11 million animals | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 2.17 million animals | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 2.22 million animals | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 2.28 million animals | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 2.34 million animals | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 2.40 million animals | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 2.46 million animals | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 2.53 million animals | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 1.94 million animals | -23.3% |
| 2021 | 2.12 million animals | +9.3% |
| 2022 | 2.31 million animals | +9.3% |
| 2023 | 2.53 million animals | +9.3% |
| 2024 | 2.76 million animals | +9.3% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 2.76 million animals is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.73 million animals, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Benin's 2.76 million animals is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.41 million animals, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 444,987 animals | 321,609 animals | 565,670 animals | 9 |
| 1970s | 677,159 animals | 566,400 animals | 754,944 animals | 10 |
| 1980s | 899,873 animals | 828,990 animals | 961,500 animals | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.23 million animals | 1.08 million animals | 1.44 million animals | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.74 million animals | 1.54 million animals | 1.95 million animals | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.26 million animals | 2.00 million animals | 2.53 million animals | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.33 million animals | 1.94 million animals | 2.76 million animals | 5 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More agriculture & rural data for Benin
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2292 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 380.06 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.6697 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.4664 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 22.9% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 22.9% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 52.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.8% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of cattle in Benin?
- Number of cattle in Benin was 2.76 million animals in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of cattle recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 2.76 million animals in 2024.
- What is the lowest number of cattle recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 321,609 animals in 1961.
- How does Benin rank for number of cattle?
- Benin ranks 73rd out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of cattle rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of cattle. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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