Largest cities in Benin by population
The 3 cities the United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2024 lists for Benin: the capital and every city of 100,000 or more, with the latest figure the country reported. The largest is Cotonou with 679,012 people; the capital, Porto-Novo, has 264,320.
Who runs cities in Benin?
Communes (77): Communal council elected by voters; the council elects the mayor. The only elected local government since 2003. Since the 2021 Code, communes are graded (special status: Cotonou, Porto-Novo, Parakou, Abomey-Calavi; intermediate; ordinary).
How local power works in Benin · Level 3: local councils worldwide
| # | City | Population | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cotonou | 679,012 | 11 May 2013 |
| 2 | Porto-Novo (capital) | 264,320 | 11 May 2013 |
| 3 | Parakou | 255,478 | 11 May 2013 |
Countries define a city in different ways (the city proper, or the wider urban area) and report in different years, so cities in different countries are not always comparable.
More on Benin: official statistics · government and power · regions
Sources
- United Nations Statistics Division: Demographic Yearbook 2024, Table 8: Population of capital cities and cities of 100 000 or more inhabitants, latest available year, 2005-2024, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0c6784df022e…)
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