Land used for agriculture in Benin
Benin: Land used for agriculture was 2.94 million in 2010. ▲ Rising
Latest (2010)
2.94 million
World rank
97th
of 179 countries
All-time high
2.94 million
in 2010
All-time low
1.01 million
in 1860
Years of data
24
1780–2010
Land used for agriculture in Benin, 1780–2010
Source: Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2010, land used for agriculture in Benin stood at 2.94 million. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is up 12.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land used for agriculture in Benin peaked at 2.94 million in 2010 and was at its lowest, 1.01 million, in 1860.
That places Benin 97th out of 179 countries with data for 2010, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Land used for agriculture in Benin, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1780 | 1.36 million | — |
| 1790 | 1.29 million | -5.1% |
| 1800 | 1.22 million | -4.9% |
| 1810 | 1.17 million | -4.6% |
| 1820 | 1.13 million | -3.3% |
| 1830 | 1.10 million | -3.0% |
| 1840 | 1.06 million | -2.8% |
| 1850 | 1.04 million | -2.6% |
| 1860 | 1.01 million | -2.4% |
| 1870 | 1.03 million | +1.9% |
| 1880 | 1.05 million | +1.8% |
| 1890 | 1.07 million | +1.7% |
| 1900 | 1.08 million | +1.5% |
| 1910 | 1.10 million | +1.8% |
| 1920 | 1.25 million | +13.1% |
| 1930 | 1.42 million | +13.7% |
| 1940 | 1.54 million | +8.8% |
| 1950 | 1.58 million | +2.5% |
| 1960 | 1.76 million | +11.5% |
| 1970 | 1.98 million | +12.7% |
| 1980 | 2.15 million | +8.2% |
| 1990 | 2.33 million | +8.4% |
| 2000 | 2.61 million | +12.0% |
| 2010 | 2.94 million | +12.6% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 2.94 million is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 7.14 million, 41% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Benin's 2.94 million is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 10.08 million, 29% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 1.36 million | 1.36 million | 1.36 million | 1 |
| 1790s | 1.29 million | 1.29 million | 1.29 million | 1 |
| 1800s | 1.22 million | 1.22 million | 1.22 million | 1 |
| 1810s | 1.17 million | 1.17 million | 1.17 million | 1 |
| 1820s | 1.13 million | 1.13 million | 1.13 million | 1 |
| 1830s | 1.10 million | 1.10 million | 1.10 million | 1 |
| 1840s | 1.06 million | 1.06 million | 1.06 million | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.04 million | 1.04 million | 1.04 million | 1 |
| 1860s | 1.01 million | 1.01 million | 1.01 million | 1 |
| 1870s | 1.03 million | 1.03 million | 1.03 million | 1 |
| 1880s | 1.05 million | 1.05 million | 1.05 million | 1 |
| 1890s | 1.07 million | 1.07 million | 1.07 million | 1 |
| 1900s | 1.08 million | 1.08 million | 1.08 million | 1 |
| 1910s | 1.10 million | 1.10 million | 1.10 million | 1 |
| 1920s | 1.25 million | 1.25 million | 1.25 million | 1 |
| 1930s | 1.42 million | 1.42 million | 1.42 million | 1 |
| 1940s | 1.54 million | 1.54 million | 1.54 million | 1 |
| 1950s | 1.58 million | 1.58 million | 1.58 million | 1 |
| 1960s | 1.76 million | 1.76 million | 1.76 million | 1 |
| 1970s | 1.98 million | 1.98 million | 1.98 million | 1 |
| 1980s | 2.15 million | 2.15 million | 2.15 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 2.33 million | 2.33 million | 2.33 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 2.61 million | 2.61 million | 2.61 million | 1 |
| 2010s | 2.94 million | 2.94 million | 2.94 million | 1 |
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 land used for agriculture in Benin?
- Land used for agriculture in Benin was 2.94 million in 2010, according to Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest land used for agriculture recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 2.94 million in 2010.
- What is the lowest land used for agriculture recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.01 million in 1860.
- How does Benin rank for land used for agriculture?
- Benin ranks 97th out of 179 countries with data for 2010.
- Is land used for agriculture rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from Taylor and Rising, and United Nations (2021) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Land used for agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Agricultural land use is the sum of croplands and pasture – land used for grazing livestock. It is measured in hectares.