Cropland area in Benin
Benin: Cropland area was 4.17 million hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
4.17 million hectares
Change on year
down 3.2%
World rank
64th
of 224 countries
All-time high
4.31 million hectares
in 2022
All-time low
972,560 hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cropland area in Benin, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cropland area in Benin is 4.17 million hectares, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.2% on the previous year and up 21.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cropland area in Benin peaked at 4.31 million hectares in 2022 and was at its lowest, 972,560 hectares, in 1961.
Benin ranks 64th of 224 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Cropland area in Benin, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 972,560 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 993,150 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1963 | 1.01 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 1.03 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1965 | 1.05 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 1966 | 1.08 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 1967 | 1.13 million hectares | +4.0% |
| 1968 | 1.16 million hectares | +2.7% |
| 1969 | 1.24 million hectares | +7.3% |
| 1970 | 1.26 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 1.31 million hectares | +3.9% |
| 1972 | 1.34 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 1.36 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1974 | 1.39 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 1.43 million hectares | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 1.46 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 1.49 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 1.51 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 1.53 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 1.56 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 1.59 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 1.63 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 1.62 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 1.64 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 1.68 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 1.69 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 1.70 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 1.71 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 1.71 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.71 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 1.72 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 1.74 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 1.78 million hectares | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 1.84 million hectares | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 1.96 million hectares | +6.9% |
| 1996 | 2.15 million hectares | +9.7% |
| 1997 | 2.34 million hectares | +8.6% |
| 1998 | 2.49 million hectares | +6.5% |
| 1999 | 2.56 million hectares | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 2.64 million hectares | +3.4% |
| 2001 | 2.71 million hectares | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 2.82 million hectares | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 2.92 million hectares | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 2.91 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 2.92 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 2.79 million hectares | -4.6% |
| 2007 | 2.83 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 3.03 million hectares | +7.2% |
| 2009 | 3.19 million hectares | +5.2% |
| 2010 | 2.94 million hectares | -7.9% |
| 2011 | 3.07 million hectares | +4.5% |
| 2012 | 3.22 million hectares | +4.8% |
| 2013 | 3.43 million hectares | +6.7% |
| 2014 | 3.45 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 3.52 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 3.33 million hectares | -5.6% |
| 2017 | 3.54 million hectares | +6.5% |
| 2018 | 3.91 million hectares | +10.4% |
| 2019 | 4.08 million hectares | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 3.88 million hectares | -4.9% |
| 2021 | 4.07 million hectares | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 4.31 million hectares | +5.7% |
| 2023 | 4.17 million hectares | -3.2% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 4.17 million hectares is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.82 million hectares, 1.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Benin's 4.17 million hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.21 million hectares, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.08 million hectares | 972,560 hectares | 1.24 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.41 million hectares | 1.26 million hectares | 1.53 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.65 million hectares | 1.56 million hectares | 1.71 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.03 million hectares | 1.71 million hectares | 2.56 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.88 million hectares | 2.64 million hectares | 3.19 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.45 million hectares | 2.94 million hectares | 4.08 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.11 million hectares | 3.88 million hectares | 4.31 million hectares | 4 |
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 cropland area in Benin?
- Cropland area in Benin was 4.17 million hectares in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cropland area recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 4.31 million hectares in 2022.
- What is the lowest cropland area recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 972,560 hectares in 1961.
- How does Benin rank for cropland area?
- Benin ranks 64th out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cropland area rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Cropland area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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