Homicide Rate in Benin: 1800 to Today (and Tomorrow)

Behind every statistic lies the quiet reality of daily life. When we measure homicide, we are documenting the fundamental security of a society and the sanctity of the individual path. The numbers provided by UNODC and World Bank, compiled by MYRIAD, track the trajectory of safety in Benin over three centuries. These figures are not merely abstract points on a graph; they represent the collective experience of generations, reflecting the changing conditions of existence that have shaped the nation from the 1800s to the current era and beyond.

The historical arc reveals a steady decline in the rate of intentional violence. In the 1800s estimate, the rate stood at 15. This gradually ebbed through the century, reaching 13 in 1900. By the mid-twentieth century, the 1950s saw the rate at 11, continuing a downward trend into the modern era. In the 2020s, homicide rate in Benin stands at 9.5 per 100,000 — ranking #101 of 157 countries. Projections suggest this path toward lower rates will continue, with the 2100s projection estimated at 6.3.

For a person born in this region, these numbers translate into the shifting probability of a life lived free from lethal conflict. An individual in the 1840s estimate faced a rate of 14.2, whereas a contemporary resident in the 2020s encounters a rate of 9.5. As you look across the 2030s projection of 9.03 and the 2050s projection of 8.15, the data suggests a future defined by increased stability. Compare these decades to discover where your own span of years fits within the broader statistical map of human history.