Country Comments

Benin is exceeding its carrying capacity by about 40% of its population. It is an impoverished nation with a per capita GDP of $900. Population growth is increasing at a rapid pace due to an average fertility rate of almost 5 children per mother ( a high figure but trending lower the past four decades from 7 children per mother). Contraception use among women is very low. Benin has made steady progress towards its commitment to providing government sponsored family planning services within health centers to the population. Benin is part of the Ouagadougou Partnership, a coalition of government officials, religious leaders, civic and youth representatives of nine West African countries working in collaboration with donors to improve family planning outcomes in the region. In October 2021 legislators legalized abortions under most circumstances.

The main environmental issues facing the people of Benin are desertification, deforestation, wildlife endangerment, and water pollution. According to FAO figures, Benin has lost 29 percent of its forest cover since 1990. Benin has one of the highest annual deforestation rates in the world, much of it due to the intense pressures from its growing population.