Updated
Overview
Burkina Faso has about 65% more people than Benin: 24.07 million against 14.81 million (2025).
Burkina Faso's economy is 12% larger than Benin's, at $27.63B versus $24.57B.
Per person, Benin is the wealthier of the two: $1,658 against $1,148 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Burkina Faso | Benin | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $27.63B | $24.57B | 2025 | $23.25B / $21.48B |
| GDP per capita | $1,148 | Higher: $1,658 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 5.3% | Higher: 8.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: -0.6% | 1.1% | 2025 | 4.2% / 1.2% |
| Unemployment | 3.5% | Lower: 1.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 37 | 34 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $212 | $136 | 2025 / 2022 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $74 | Higher: $86 | 2024 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 24.07 million | 14.81 million | 2025 | 23.49 million / 15.19 million |
| Population growth | 2.2% | 2.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 17.7 yrs | 18.0 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 4.00 | 4.42 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 61.3 yrs | 61.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 29% | 53% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 28% | Higher: 34% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 272,967 km² | 112,622 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 88.2/km² | 131.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 6.51 Mt | Lower: 6.07 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 0.3 t | 0.4 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $1.02B | $154.11M | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 4.7% | 0.7% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 11,000 | 12,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Benin is growing faster: 8.1% annual GDP growth versus 5.3%.
Inflation is comparable in both: -0.6% in Burkina Faso and 1.1% in Benin.
Average monthly earnings favour Burkina Faso: $212 against $136 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 17.7 (Burkina Faso) and 18.0 (Benin).
Benin is considerably more urbanized: 53% of people live in cities, against 29%.
Geography
By land area, Burkina Faso is 2.4 times the size of Benin: 272,967 km² versus 112,622 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Military
Burkina Faso spends 6.6 times as much on defence as Benin: $1.02B versus $154.11M (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Burkina Faso carries the heavier military burden: 4.7% of GDP versus 0.7%.
Benin fields the larger armed forces: 12,000 personnel against 11,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Burkina Faso bigger than Benin?
- Burkina Faso is larger by land area. Burkina Faso covers 272,967 km² while Benin covers 112,622 km², so Burkina Faso is 2.4 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Burkina Faso or Benin?
- Burkina Faso has the larger population: 24.07 million versus 14.81 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Burkina Faso richer than Benin?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Benin is richer: $1,658 against $1,148. Total GDP tells a different story: $27.63B for Burkina Faso versus $24.57B for Benin.
- Who spends more on their military, Burkina Faso or Benin?
- Burkina Faso spends more: $1.02B versus $154.11M per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).