The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Benin
Benin: The share and number of people living in extreme poverty was 27.2% in 2021. ▼ Falling
The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Benin, 2003–2021
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2021, the share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Benin stood at 27.2%. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 26.8% on the previous year and down 60.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, the share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Benin peaked at 70.5% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 27.2%, in 2021.
That places Benin 18th out of 120 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Benin, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 70.5% | — |
| 2011 | 68.4% | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 65.8% | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 37.2% | -43.5% |
| 2021 | 27.2% | -26.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 70.5% | 70.5% | 70.5% | 1 |
| 2010s | 57.1% | 37.2% | 68.4% | 3 |
| 2020s | 27.2% | 27.2% | 27.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More poverty & inequality data for Benin
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 4.56 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 1,356 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 20.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 11.63 (2013)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 11.6% (2013)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2013)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Benin?
- The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Benin was 27.2% in 2021, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest the share and number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 70.5% in 2003.
- What is the lowest the share and number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.2% in 2021.
- How does Benin rank for the share and number of people living in extreme poverty?
- Benin ranks 18th out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
- Is the share and number of people living in extreme poverty rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 60.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of The share and number of people living in extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below $3 per day.