Benin - Republic of Benin - Country Profile - West Africa Location map of Benin A virtual guide to Benin. The Republic of Benin is a from north to south long stretched country in West Africa , situated east of Togo and west of Nigeria , it is bordered to the north by Burkina Faso and Niger , in south by the the Bight of Benin, in the Gulf of Guinea, that part of the tropical North Atlantic Ocean which is roughly south of West Africa. Benin's coastline is just 121 km (75 mi) long. With an area of 112,622 km² the country is slightly larger than Bulgaria , or slightly smaller than the U.S. state Pennsylvania . Benin's former name, until 1975, was Dahomey. Porto-Novo , a port on an inlet of the Gulf of Guinea is the nations capital city, largest city and economic capital is Cotonou . Spoken languages are French (official), Fon and Yoruba. Ethnic groups: 42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, and Bariba.

Religions: Indigenous beliefs (animist) 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%. Languages : French (official), Fon and Yoruba in the south; Nagot, Bariba and Dendi in the north. Literacy: Total population 39%; men 53%, women 25%. Natural resources: Small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber.

Agriculture products: Cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001) Industries: Textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement (2001) Exports - commodities: cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood Exports partners: India 24.2%, Gabon 14.6%, China 7.2%, Niger 6%, Bangladesh 5%, Nigeria 4.9%, Vietnam 4.2% (2015) Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products Imports partners: China 42.1%, US 8.9%, India 5.7%, Malaysia 4.8%, Thailand 4.3%, France 4% (2015) Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF) Note: External links will open in a new browser window.

Official Sites of Benin Benin: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide & Travel/Holidays/Cities Boni Forms New Government without a Prime Minister Geography This West African nation on the Gulf of Guinea, between Togo on the west and Nigeria on the east, is about the size of Tennessee. It is bounded by Burkina Faso and Niger on the north. The land consists of a narrow coastal strip that rises to a swampy, forested plateau and then to highlands in the north. A hot and humid climate blankets the entire country. Government Republic under a multiparty democratic rule. History The Abomey kingdom of the Dahomey, or Fon, peoples was established in 1625. A rich cultural life flourished, and Dahomey's wooden masks, bronze statues, tapestries, and pottery are world renowned. One of the smallest and most densely populated regions in Africa, Dahomey was annexed by the French in 1893 and incorporated into French West Africa in 1904. It became an autonomous republic within the French Community in 1958, and on Aug.

1, 1960, Dahomey was granted its independence within the Community. Gen. Christophe Soglo deposed the first president, Hubert Maga, in an army coup in 1963. He dismissed the civilian government in 1965, proclaiming himself chief of state. A group of young army officers seized power in Dec. 1967, deposing Soglo. In Dec. 1969, Benin had its fifth coup of the decade, with the army again taking power. In May 1970, a three-man presidential commission with a six-year term was created to take over the government. In May 1972, yet another army coup ousted the triumvirate and installed Lt. Col. Mathieu Kérékou as president. Between 1974 and 1989 Dahomey embraced socialism, and changed its name to the People's Republic of Benin. The name Benin commemorates an African kingdom that flourished from the 15th to the 17th century in what is now southwest Nigeria.

In 1990, Benin abandoned Marxist ideology, began moving toward multiparty democracy, and changed its name again, to the Republic of Benin. Benin | Define Benin at Dictionary.com Benin noun 1. Formerly Dahomey . a republic in W Africa: formerly part of French West Africa; gained independence in 1960. 44,290 sq. mi. (114,711 sq. km). Capital: Porto Novo. Bight of, a bay in N Gulf of Guinea in W Africa. 3. a former native kingdom in W Africa: now incorporated into Nigeria. 4. a river in S Nigeria, flowing into the Bight of Benin. Dictionary.com Unabridged Examples from the Web for Benin Expand Contemporary Examples At the Global awards ceremony, musical artists set the crowd on fire, especially Benin singer Angelique Kidjo.

Bill Clinton, Loretta Claiborne: Best Moments From 2012 Clinton Global Initiative (Video) Nina Strochlic September 24, 2012 Historical Examples The kings of Benin and Congo could not be more indignant at the sight of a British cruiser blockading one of their rivers. The Guinea Voyage James Field Stanfield In quest of these she ran up the Bight of Benin; and here, close in with the coast, we presently raised a large school. West African studies Mary Henrietta Kingsley As the Lander brothers floated down the stream formed by the union of these two, they soon found themselves in the Bight of Benin. British Dictionary definitions for Benin Expand noun 1. a republic in W Africa, on the Bight of Benin, a section of the Gulf of Guinea: in the early 19th century a powerful kingdom, famed for its women warriors; became a French colony in 1893, gaining independence in 1960. It consists chiefly of coastal lagoons and swamps in the south, a fertile plain and marshes in the centre, and the Atakora Mountains in the northwest. Official language: French.

Religion: animist majority. Currency: franc. Capital: Porto Novo (the government is based in Cotonou). Pop: 9 877 292 (2013 est). Area: 112 622 sq km (43 474 sq miles) Former name (until 1975) Dahomey 2. a former kingdom of W Africa, powerful from the 14th to the 17th centuries: now a province of S Nigeria: noted for its bronzes Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.

1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for Benin Expand former West African kingdom, from the Bini people, whose name is perhaps related to Arabic bani "sons." Though now the people is associated with Nigeria, the name was taken 1974 by the former nation of Dahomey. Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper Benin This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website Benin 2:3 Image by Željko Heimer, 04 March 2001 Flag adopted 16 November 1959, abandoned in 1975 and reintroduced 01 August 1990. History of the flag Benin gained independence in 1960 as a Republic of Dahomey. Up to 1975 the flag was the same as the current one.

However, between 1975 and 1990 the country was known as the People's Republic of Benin and used a flag that was red with green star in the canton. The flag originally adopted at independence was re-introduced in 1990. Jarig Bakker, 22 Sept 2000 Flag of Benin (1959 - 1975; 1990 - ) The symbolism of the colours of the flag are explained in the national anthem - Green recalls hope and revival, red the courage of ancestors and yellow is a reminder to preserve the country's wealth. The flag of August 1960 (adopted on 16 November 1959, but hoisted for the first time on 01 August 1960) was reestablished during the National Conference of Active Forces of the Nation (19-28 February 1990). Dorling-Kindersley Pocket Book explains the colours as being Pan-African. Pedersen [ ped70g ] associates red to the soil, yellow to the savannas and green to palm trees.

Whitney Smith [smi80] agrees with Pedersen, except for the red symbolizing the blood of ancestors. According to Album des Pavillons [pay00] , the national flag is also used as the national ensign When the country abandoned its socialist policies in 1990, a multi-party democracy was established in 1991. Although the original flag was re-adopted, the country retained the name Benin introduced in 1975. This was the name of the ancient African empire centered in that area.

Summary of contributions by Željko Heimer and John Andrew Lowe, 30 Nov 1995; Nick Artimovich, 05 June 1996 and Ivan Sache, 23 April 2000 2:3 Image by Željko Heimer based on Album des Pavillons 2000 [pay00] , 11 Jan 2001 In the construction sheet is given in Album des Pavillons 2000 [pay00] , the ratio between the length of the green field to the fly is 6:9, while ratio of yellow and red stripes is 5:5. In many sources an erroneous flag image is shown where green stripe is of equal width as the yellow and red stripes. Željko Heimer, 11 Jan 2001 Image by �eljko Heimer, 04 March 2001 It is said that star represents "peoples unity, unity of all revolutionary forces in overwhelming of inner and outer enemy and making a new, revolutionary and socialist land of Benin" .

This flag reversed the colours of the The flag reversed the colours of the flag of the People's Revolutionary Party of Benin , which had a green star and red background. Stuart Notholt The national flag 1975-1990 was, as far as I am aware, never officially adopted, (meaning there was no law regarding it) and therefore the construction details (size and position of the star) were never determined either. �eljko Heimer, 04 March 2001 Kingdom of Dahomey (19th century) Image by Jaume Oll�, 12 Sept 1996 The Béhanzin king (1889-1892, born 1844, died 1906), successor of the king Gle-Gle, had a flag (r atio 43:59) with a light blue field. The shield is yellow with a dark grey shark, and white egg and tusks; green palm; light green snakes, and a white ribbon. Some inscriptions suggest manufacture by one of the Portuguese who had commercial relations along the coast.

The French General Alfred Dodds captured a flag in the Dahomey royal Palace at Abomey on 18 November 1892. It was sent to the Musee de l'Arme in Paris and was transferred in 1932 to the Musee Colonial (now the Musée des Arts Africains et Océaniens). Details of the flag is reported in the issue 145 of the Flag Bulletin. That museum has an engraving by Albert Vallon, showing a French mission being received by King Ghezo (1818-1858), with a different flag, which suggests that each king may have had his own flag. The flag used by King Ghezo is shown above. Jaume Oll�, 12 Sept 1996 (1) (2) Images by Željko Heimer, 04 March 2001 While Jaume Ollé states that the star should be in the center of the flag (2), other sources seems to imply that it was indeed in canton as (1) (e.g. Smith [smi80] , Crampton [cra90] ).

The flag of PRP may have been adopted earlier then 1975. Željko Heimer, 23 April 2000 Coat of Arms Image sent by Jarig Bakker, 22 Sept 2000 The Coat of Arms were originally adopted in 1964 and were re-adopted in 1990 after being replaced in 1975 when the country became the People's Republic of Benin . The Arms are surmounted by the national crest which consists of two horns with corn in the ear and filled with sand. These are reputed to stand for prosperity. Below is the national shield which is quartered and depicts a local Somba fortress in the top left quadrant representing the history of the country; in the top right quadrant is the Order of the Star of Benin, the highest decoration in the country. The bottom left quadrant features a palm tree and in the bottom right is a sailing ship representing the arrival of the Europeans. The shield is supported by a pair of leopards, the national animal of Benin. Below the shield is the national motto (in French) 'Fraternite, Justice, Travail' (meaning: Fraternity, Justice, Work).

Image sent by Jarig Bakker, 22 Sept 2000 On 01 December 1975 the name, arms, and flag of the country were changed. The Arms adopted at the time comprised a green shield with red star within a wreath of yellow, ripe maize-cobs (symbol of agriculture) a cog-wheel (industry). On the red ribbon, that has been bound around a stack of maize-cobs, are the initials of the name of the country RPB in green. These Arms were replaced in 1990 when the previous Arms were restored as outlined above. Jarig Bakker, 22 Sept 2000 HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF BENIN List of subjects | Sources | Feedback HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF BENIN HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF BENIN Enjoy the Famous Daily The kingdom of Dahomey: 17th-19th century The modern republic of Benin, given that name only in 1975, is the successor to one of west Africa's most interesting and long-lasting kingdoms, that of Dahomey.

The traditional date of the founding of the local dynasty is1625, when three brothers of the Dahomey people rule adjacent territories along the lower reaches of the Mono river. In the early eighteenth century one member of the family defeats his cousins and brings into a single kingdom the region known today as Benin. There are European trading stations on the Dahomey coast from the 17th century. Europe is fascinated by news of the local customs, and in particular Dahomey's famous Amazons. Women, trained to form the crack regiments of the king's army, are given the place of honour in any military campaign. Richard Burton, visiting Dahomey in 1862, sees some 2500 women setting off as if for battle. But in fact battle is what they are trained to avoid. The slave trade is the king's major source of revenue, and the classic Dahomey tactic is surprise. When still a few days away from an enemy town, the invading army abandons the established tracks and melts into the jungle. Strict silence is maintained. Fires are forbidden. Under cover of darkness the town is surrounded.

In a dawn raid the intention is to capture everyone, with minimum loss of life, for the slave markets on the coast. The only occasion on which Dahomey is profligate with life, again mesmerizing European observers, is on the death of the king. In a custom practised also in the earliest civilizations of Mesopotamia and China , large numbers of people (said to be about 500 in a funeral ceremony in 1791) are sacrificed to provide the ruler with wives and attendants in the next world. Twice yearly there is a smaller number of sacrifices, usually of prisoners of war, to make up any deficiencies which may have developed in the dead king's retinue. The customs of Dahomey greatly offend the sensibilities of many 19th-century Europeans, in particular those trying to abolish the slave trade. They also provide an excellent motive for colonial interference. The French have been the first in the region, with a fort established at Ouidah in the 17th century, and it is they who launch a military campaign into the interior in the 1890s. A French protectorate is established in part of the kingdom in 1892.

By the end of the decade the entire region is under control. In 1899 Dahomey is included in the newly established French West Africa , to begin sixty years under French colonial rule - until achieving independence in 1960. A turbulent independence: from1960 Dahomey has a turbulent existence in its first decades of independence, from 1960, after the dissolution of French West Africa . Power changes hands in no fewer than six military coups between 1963 and 1972. In the last of these coups, in 1972, control of the state is seized by Major Mathieu Kérékou. Pursuing a communist policy, he introduces a measure of stability in the nation's life. As if to write a line under the past he changes the name of the republic in 1975 from Dahomey to Benin. (The historic Benin lies to the east, in Nigeria, but Dahomey's coastline is on the Bight of Benin.) Kérékou proves a rarity among politicians, a communist leader capable of relinquishing power.

He announces in 1989 that Marxism-Leninism is no longer to be the political creed of Benin. Instead there is to be a transition to democracy. A multiparty presidential election is held in 1991 and Kérékou loses - to Nicéphore Soglo. Benin continues to prove during the 1990s that democracy has arrived as a workable system, even in quite difficult circumstances. Votes cast in the 1995 election to the national assembly give 49 seats to opposition parties and only 32 seats to the party providing President Soglo's power base (the PRB, or Benin Resistance Party). For a year Benin achieves the difficult feat of a president working with an opposed assembly. Then, in the presidential election of 1996, the voters of Benin provide another surprise. The ex-Marxist soldier Mathieu Kérékou, who has spent nearly twenty years running the nation as a military dictatorship (followed by five in the political wilderness), is voted back into power as a civilian president. Benin: History History History Early History Little is known about the history of N Benin.

In the south, according to oral tradition, a group of Aja migrated (12th or 13th cent.) eastward from Tado on the Mono River and founded the village of Allada. Later, Allada became the capital of Great Ardra, a state whose kings ruled with the consent of the elders of the people. Great Ardra reached the peak of its power in the 16th and early 17th cent. A dispute (c.1625) among three brothers over who should be king resulted in one brother, Kokpon, retaining Great Ardra. Another brother, Do-Aklin, founded the town of Abomey, and the third, Te-Agdanlin, founded the town of Ajatche or Little Ardra (called Porto-Novo by the Portuguese merchants who traded there). The Aja living at Abomey organized into a strongly centralized kingdom with a standing army and gradually mixed with the local people, thus forming the Fon, or Dahomey, ethnic group. By the late 17th cent. the Dahomey were raiding their neighbors for slaves, who were then sold (through coastal middlemen) to European traders.

By 1700, about 20,000 slaves were being transported annually, especially from Great Ardra and Ouidah, located on what was called the Slave Coast . In order to establish direct contact with the European traders, King Agaja of Dahomey (reigned 1708–32), who began the practice of using women as soldiers, conquered most of the south (except Porto-Novo). This expansion brought Dahomey into conflict with the powerful Yoruba kingdom of Oyo , which captured Abomey in 1738 and forced Dahomey to pay an annual tribute until 1818. However, until well into the 19th cent. Dahomey continued to expand northward and to sell slaves, despite efforts by Great Britain to end the trade. Colonial History In 1863, Porto-Novo accepted a French protectorate, hoping thereby to offset Dahomey's power. During the 1880s, as the scramble among the European powers for African colonies accelerated, France tried to secure its hold on the Dahomey coast in order to keep it out of German or British hands.

King Behanzin (reigned 1889–93) attempted to resist the French advance, but in 1892–93 France defeated Dahomey, established a protectorate over it, and exiled Behanzin to Martinique. During the period 1895–98 the French added the northern part of present-day Benin, and in 1904 the whole colony was made part of French West Africa . Under the French a port was constructed at Cotonou, railroads were built, and the output of palm products increased. In addition, elementary school facilities were expanded, largely under the auspices of Roman Catholic missions. In 1946, Dahomey became an overseas territory with its own parliament and representation in the French national assembly; in 1958, it became an autonomous state within the French Community . The Postcolonial Period On Aug. 1, 1960, Dahomey became fully independent. The country's first president was Hubert Maga, whose main support came from Parakou and the north and who was allied with Sourou Migan Apithy, a politician from Porto-Novo.

Independent Dahomey was plagued by governmental instability that was caused by economic troubles, ethnic rivalries, and social unrest. In 1963, following demonstrations by workers and students, the armed forces staged a successful coup, putting Justin Ahomadegbé into power (in alliance with Apithy). Political unrest continued in Dahomey for the next six years until Lt. Col. Paul-Émile de Souza was made president in 1969. Elections were attempted in 1970 but were canceled following severe disagreement between northern and southern politicians. Instead, a three-man presidential council (consisting of Maga, Ahomadegbé, and Apithy) was formed; each member was to lead the country for two years. The first leader was Maga, who in May, 1972, was replaced without incident by Ahomadegbé. However, in Oct., 1972, the military again intervened, toppling Ahomadegbé and installing an 11-man government headed by Maj. Mathieu Kérékou. Kérékou declared Benin a Marxist-Leninist state and sought financial support from Communist governments in Eastern Europe and Asia.

To distance the modern state from its colonial past, Dahomey became the People's Republic of Benin in 1975. Continual strikes and coup attempts resulted in the formation of a repressive militia. In 1989, with social unrest and economic problems besetting the country, Marxism was renounced as a state ideology. In 1990 a national conference and a referendum provided for a new constitution and multiparty elections; Nicéphor Soglo defeated Kérékou at the polls and became president in 1991. Credited with reviving the economy but criticized as aloof and distant from the people, Soglo was defeated in the 1996 presidential election, which returned Kérékou to power. In the 1999 assembly elections, however, the opposition, led by Soglo's wife, Rosine, won the majority of seats. Conflict with Niger over the ownership of one of several disputed islands in the Niger River led to tensions in 2000; the islands were divided between the two nations in 2005 after international arbitration.

Kérékou was reelected in Mar., 2001, after Soglo withdrew from a runoff, accusing the president of fraud. The president's coalition won a majority in the national assembly in Mar., 2003. In 2005 Kérékou announced that he would retire in 2006 at the end of his term, and would not seek to amended the constitution to stay in power. In Mar., 2006, Thomas Yayi Boni, an economist who had previously headed the West African Development Bank, was elected president after a runoff, winning nearly 75% of the vote. In June, 2006, the national assembly voted to amend the constitution to extend assembly members' terms to five years, but the supreme court rejected the amendment as for violating the 1990 consensus that established the constitution. President Yayi survived an apparent assassination attempt in Mar., 2007. Yayi's coalition won a plurality of the seats in the national assembly in the elections later that month. In July, 2010, the collapse of a company that was running a Ponzi scheme roiled the country.

Some 130,000 were believed to have invested in it, many with their life savings. The interior minister and the chief prosecutor were dismissed for connections to the scheme, and many believed that the president was involved because photographs of him meeting with company officials were publicized by the company. National Assembly members accused Yayi of complicity in the scheme, but failed in an attempt (August) to impeach him. He won reelection in Mar., 2011, against a divided opposition. In Oct., 2012, several people, including a former commerce minister, were accused of attempting to assassinating the president with poison and arrested, and in Mar., 2013, another coup plot, said to be linked possibly to the poisoning plot, was reported to have been foiled. Sections in this article: Benin Fact Sheet December 12, 2015 More information about Benin is available on the Benin Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet. U.S.-BENIN RELATIONS The United States established diplomatic relations with Benin (then called Dahomey) in 1960, following its independence from France.

Between 1960 and 1972, a succession of military coups brought about many changes of government, followed by one-party, Marxist-Leninist rule until the early 1990s, when the country transitioned to a democratic government. In the years since then, the history of bilateral relations has been excellent. The United States supports the consolidation of democracy and economic liberalization in Benin. Presidential and legislative elections in 2011 were peaceful and benefited from strong citizen participation and robust press freedom. However, poor health care, low quality of public education, and insufficiently transparent governance persist as obstacles to national development. U.S. Assistance to Benin The United States supports efforts to improve the health of Beninese families by reducing the malaria disease burden, improving the health of mothers and young children, and strengthening the health system. U.S. assistance also provides support to Benin’s defense and military capacity enhancement, enabling the country to maintain domestic peace and security while contributing to regional stability. Bilateral Economic Relations Benin is eligible for preferential trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Trade between Benin and the United States is small, but interest in U.S. products is growing.

U.S. exports to Benin include vehicles, oil, machinery, low-value shipments, and perfumery/cosmetics. U.S. imports from Benin include Shea butter and cashews. The United States aims to promote increased trade with Benin and thereby with Benin's neighbors, particularly Nigeria, Niger, and Burkina Faso, whose imports pass through Benin. The United States also works to stimulate U.S. investment in key sectors such as energy, telecommunications, and transportation. Benin and the United States have a bilateral investment agreement. The United States also has a trade and investment framework agreement with the West African Economic and Monetary Union, of which Benin is a member. In September 2015, Benin and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) signed a second compact for $375 million, plus a $28 million contribution from the Government of Benin. The MCC compact aims to strengthen Benin’s national utility, attract private sector investment, and fund infrastructure investments in electric generation and distribution as well as off-grid electrification for poor and unserved households.

Benin's Membership in International Organizations Benin and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. Benin also is an observer to the Organization of American States. Bilateral Representation The current U.S. Ambassador to Benin is Lucy Tamlyn . Other principal embassy officials are listed in the Department's Key Officers List . Benin maintains an embassy in the United States at 2124 Kalorama Road, Washington, DC 20008, tel. 202-232-6656.

More information about Benin is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here: Benin | history - geography - republic, Africa | Britannica.com republic, Africa Alternative Titles: Dahomey, People’s Republic of Benin, Republic of Benin, Republic of Dahomey, République du Bénin Benin République du Bénin (Republic of Benin) Form of government multiparty republic with one legislative house (National Assembly [83]) Head of state and government President: Patrice Talon1 Literacy: percentage of population age 15 and over literate Male: (2010) 55.2% GNI per capita (U.S.$) (2014) 810 1Office of Prime Minister, vacant from May 1998, was filled in May 2011, was vacant from August 2013 until being filled in June 2015, and then vacant again from April 2016; the post of prime minister is not required per the constitution.

2Porto-Novo, the official capital established under the constitution, is the seat of the legislature, but the president and most government ministers reside in Cotonou. Country Data Overview (PDF) Benin, officially Republic of Benin, French République du Bénin, formerly (until 1975) Dahomey, or (1975–90) People’s Republic of Benin, country of western Africa . It consists of a narrow wedge of territory extending northward for about 420 miles (675 kilometres) from the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean , on which it has a 75-mile seacoast, to the Niger River , which forms part of Benin’s northern border with Niger . Benin is bordered to the northwest by Burkina Faso , to the east by Nigeria , and to the west by Togo . The official capital is Porto-Novo , but Cotonou is Benin’s largest city, its chief port, and its de facto administrative capital. Benin was a French colony from the late 19th century until 1960.

Time-lapse and stop-motion video of Cotonou, Benin, by filmmaker Mayeul Akpovi. © Mayeul Akpovi (A Britannica Publishing Partner) Prior to colonial rule, part of the territory that is now Benin consisted of powerful, independent kingdoms, including various Bariba kingdoms in the north and in the south the kingdoms of Porto-Novo and Dahomey (Dan-ho-me, “on the belly of Dan;” Dan was a rival king on whose grave Dahomey’s royal compound was built). In the late 19th century French colonizers making inroads from the coastal region into the interior borrowed the name of the defeated Dahomey kingdom for the entire territory that is now Benin; the current name derives from the Bight of Benin . Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The people Ethnic groups Despite attempts at greater national unity and integration since 1960, differences among Benin’s ethnic groups survive to a marked degree. The Fon , who make up about two-fifths of the population, live in various parts of the country and especially in Cotonou .

The Yoruba , who are related to the Nigerian Yoruba, live mainly in southeastern Benin and constitute about one-eighth of Benin’s population. In the vicinity of Porto-Novo , the Goun (Gun) and the Yoruba (known in Pobé and Kétou as Nago, or Nagot) are so intermixed as to be hardly distinguishable. Among other southern groups are various Adja peoples, including the Aizo, the Holi, and the Mina. Women and children walking with goods balanced on their heads, Cotonou, Benin. C. Sappa/DeA Picture Library The Bariba , the fourth largest ethnic group, comprise several subgroups and make up about one-tenth of Benin’s population. They inhabit the northeast, especially towns such as Nikki and Kandi that were once Bariba kingdoms. The Somba (Ditamari) are found in Natitingou and in villages in the northwest. Other northern groups include the Dendi, the Pila (Pilapila), the Yoa-Lokpa, and the nomadic Fulani (Peul).

Europeans, Lebanese, South Asians, and Africans from other countries are among the foreigners who reside in Benin, primarily in Cotonou and Porto-Novo. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Languages French is the official language and the language of instruction, but each ethnic group has its own language, which is also spoken. Most adults living in the various ethnic communities also speak the dominant language of each region. The most widely spoken languages are Fon and Gen (Mina), members of the Kwa branch of the Niger-Congo family of African languages; Bariba, a member of the Gur branch of the Niger-Congo family; Yoruba , one of a small group of languages that constitute the Yoruboid cluster of the Defoid subbranch of the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo family; and Dendi, one of the Songhai languages , which are generally assumed to constitute the primary branch of the Nilo-Saharan language family.

Religion Christian missions have been active in the coastal region since the 16th century, and about two-fifths of the total population is Christian; of the Christians, about three-fifths are Roman Catholic , while the remainder includes small groups of Methodist , Baptist , and independent Christian denominations. Islam has adherents in the north and southeast; about one-fourth of the total population is Muslim, nearly all of whom are Sunni . Some one-fourth of the population adheres to traditional beliefs, including vodun (vodou or voodoo), which originated in the area of western Africa that includes what is now known as Benin and was brought to the Caribbean and the Americas by Africans enslaved during the Atlantic slave trade in the 17th–19th centuries. In addition, many adherents of Christianity and Islam also include some elements of traditional beliefs in their practices. In the south, animist religions, which include fetishes (objects regarded with awe as the embodiment of a powerful spirit) for which Benin is renowned, retain their traditional strength. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Demographic trends Benin’s rate of population growth, similar to that of some western African countries, is among the highest in the world.

This growth results primarily from a birth rate that is about twice as high as the world average and a death rate that is similar to the world average. Moreover, some two-fifths of the population is younger than 15 years of age, ensuring the country’s continued high growth rate. Life expectancy for females is about 60 years; for males it is slightly less. Overall, life expectancy is slightly lower than the world average but higher than the regional average. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Most of the country’s population is concentrated in the lower southern portion of the country, which makes up roughly one-fourth of the country’s total area but is inhabited by more than two-thirds of the total population. About two-fifths of Benin’s population is urban and is concentrated mostly in Cotonou, the country’s largest city. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Benin received an influx of Togolese refugees following the violent aftermath of that country’s presidential election in April 2005. More than 25,000 refugees were estimated to have crossed the border; most had returned to Togo within two years.

A group of Togolese refugees leaving a Roman Catholic mission in Benin after having fled Togo in … © Issouf Sanogo—AFP/Getty Images Dov Ronen The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica The economy Since independence, Benin’s regular and developmental budgets have been dependent on external support, primarily from France and international organizations. This support has rendered a little less painful the formidable economic stagnation and low standard of living of the overwhelming majority of the population. The regime that came to power in a 1972 coup attempted from 1975 to restructure the economy more or less along socialist principles and to disengage from dependence on France . Most sectors of the economy were nationalized or otherwise turned over to government control, and economic relations were established with the Soviet Union and other socialist countries, as well as with Benin’s neighbours. By the early 1980s it was clear that—though the economy was restructured and, at least on paper, more efficient and diversified and France’s contribution to Benin’s economy diminished—corruption persisted and that the overall economic situation had not improved.

“Liberalization” of the economy in the mid-1980s also failed to produce positive results. Accompanying changes in the constitution and regime in the early 1990s, the remnants and slogans of Marxism were wiped out, and privatization of the economy began. Resources The few stretches of tropical forest that remain in Benin, mostly in the southwest and central areas, contain mahogany, iroko, teak, samba, and other tropical hardwoods. The rivers and lagoons are rich in fish. Mineral deposits include iron ore both in the Atakora Mountains and northeast of Kandi, limestone deposits at Onigbolo, chromium ore and a little gold in the northwest near Natitingou, marble at Dadjo, an important deposit of pottery clay at Sakété, and ilmenite (a mineral source of titanium) near the coast. Offshore oil was discovered in 1968 in the Sémé field near Cotonou and has been exploited since 1982. Agriculture and fishing About 70 percent of the working population depends on agriculture.

Since the mid-1980s Benin has produced yams, cassava , corn (maize), millet, beans, and rice to achieve self-sufficiency in staple foods. Among cash crops, the formerly predominant palm product output declined considerably in the 1980s, but cotton output rose. The output of karité, peanuts (groundnuts), cacao beans, and coffee also has increased. Livestock include cattle, sheep and goats, pigs, horses, and poultry. Substantial quantities of fish are caught annually in the lagoons and rivers, while coastal fishing produces a smaller, but growing, amount. Most of the fish is exported to Nigeria or Togo. Shrimp and deep-sea fishing are developing, using modern vessels. Industry Manufacturing plants and secondary industries include several palm-oil-processing plants in Ahozon, Avrankou, Bohicon, Cotonou, Gbada, and Pobé; cement plants at Onigbolo and Pobé; several cotton-ginning facilities in the north; a textile mill at Parakou; a sugar refining complex at Savé; a soft-drink plant; a brewery; and two shrimp-processing plants.

Electricity is generated thermally by plants located at Bohicon, Parakou, Cotonou, and Porto-Novo. About half of Benin’s demand for electricity is met by importing power from Ghana’s Volta River Project at Akosombo. In 1988 operations commenced at the hydroelectric installation of the Mono River Dam, a joint venture between Benin and Togo on their common southern boundary. Finance Liquidation of Benin’s three state-owned banks took place in the late 1980s and early 1990s as part of economic privatization , and four private banks opened, including the Bank of Africa-Benin. Citizens of Benin began to transfer their savings from foreign banks. With the advent of privatization, foreign aid and assistance grew, particularly funding for developmental projects from the United States and the European Economic Community (later succeeded by the European Union), the latter of which also agreed to help pay the wages of civil servants. France continues to provide financial assistance. The currency of Benin is the CFA (Communauté Financière Africaine), which is fully guaranteed by and pegged to the French franc.

Trade Benin’s export earnings rely on agricultural products, such as cotton, palm oil, cocoa, and coffee, exported to such countries as China, India, and Nigeria. Informal trade (smuggling) across the border with Nigeria has also affected Benin’s negative trade balance. One of Benin’s main, albeit underexploited, trade assets is the deepwater port at Cotonou, which serves as a sea outlet for the Republic of Niger and as a secondary port for Nigeria and thus holds a potential to earn lucrative customs duties. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Benin has traditionally imported various manufactured products, machinery, chemicals, beverages, and tobacco, as well as cereals. Benin sources its imports from several countries, including the United States and France. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Transportation There are two paved, mostly two-lane, road networks. One runs parallel to the coast of the Gulf of Guinea from the Togolese border, through Cotonou and near Porto-Novo, to the Nigerian border. The other road runs north from Cotonou, near Abomey and Dassa, to Parakou in the north.

Roads from Parakou to Niger’s border and from near Abomey to Burkina Faso’s border are unpaved and are barely passable in the rainy season. There is a railroad from Cotonou to Parakou. Another railroad, parallel to the coast, does not extend to either the Togolese or the Nigerian border. Interconnected coastal lagoons are navigable by small craft known as pirogues. The Ouémé, Couffo, and Mono rivers are navigable by small boats for several dozen miles. The country’s only port is at Cotonou. An international airport in Cotonou links Benin with other countries of Africa and with Europe. There is also limited domestic airline service. Stanislas Spero Adotevi Dov Ronen Administration and social conditions Benin has experienced much political instability and unrest. It suffered through 12 years of unstable government, including several coups d’état, beginning three years after independence. The regime of President Mathieu Kérékou , who came to power in a 1972 coup, enjoyed almost two decades of fragile but unprecedented stability.

The Marxist rhetoric introduced in 1974 culminated in repressive military rule in the late 1970s, but this had largely ceased by the early 1980s. During this period, however, the Benin People’s Revolutionary Party (PRPB) was the only legal political party. A National Revolutionary Assembly, elected by citizens, chose the president, who was also head of state. Benin was the first African country to make a post-Cold War transition away from Marxism-Leninism. In December 1989 Kérékou himself abandoned the Marxist-Leninist ideology that he had promulgated in the mid-1970s. In December 1990 a new constitution was approved, guaranteeing human rights, freedom to organize political parties, the right to private property, and universal franchise. Under the 1990 constitution, Benin is a multiparty republic . The president , who is directly elected to no more than two consecutive five-year terms, serves as head of state and government.

The president may be assisted by the prime minister, though the position is not required by the constitution and was vacant from May 1998–May 2011 and again from August 2013. Legislative power is vested in the National Assembly , consisting of members who are directly elected to serve four-year terms. The constitution provides for an independent judicial branch of government. Benin’s judiciary comprises the Constitutional Court, which is the highest court in constitutional-related affairs, the Supreme Court, which is the highest court for administrative and judicial matters, and the High Court of Justice , which hears cases against the president and other government officials in matters pertaining to crimes committed while in office and high treason. The Constitutional Court and Supreme Court are located in Cotonou, while the High Court of Justice is located in Porto-Novo. Education The public education system has followed the French pattern since colonial times. A six-year primary school cycle (for children ages 6–11) is followed by six years of secondary education (ages 12–17). In the mid-1970s major reforms were introduced both to conform to the then-prevalent Marxist-Leninist ideology and to shed French influence.

The reforms failed as teachers, parents, and university-bound students objected to the lowering of standards, and the reforms were largely abandoned by the late 1980s. The University of Abomey-Calavi (previously known as the University of Dahomey [1970–75] and the National University of Benin [1975–2001]), located in Cotonou, was founded in 1970. The university’s student body has been, along with workers, the main political force in the country since the early 1980s. The University of Parakou was founded in 2001. Health and welfare Benin has a national health care system that maintains hospitals in Cotonou, Porto-Novo, Parakou, Abomey, Ouidah, and Natitingou, in addition to medical dispensaries, maternity centres, and other small, specialized health care facilities in these and smaller towns. Financial aid from international organizations provides resources to compensate for a shortage of medical personnel and medications. Malaria is a health concern, especially for young children.

The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Benin is well below the average for sub-Saharan Africa but is similar to or lower than that of neighbouring countries. Page 1 of 2 Benin - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) The ancient and powerful western African kingdom of Dahomey became a colony of France in the 1800s. In the 1900s it made the transition into a self-governing republic, then a Marxist-Leninist state, and then a free democracy-all within less than a century. Now called the Republic of Benin, it occupies a strategic political and commercial position on the Gulf of Guinea. Porto-Novo is the official capital and seat of the legislature. However, the president and most of the government ministries reside in the port city of Cotonou, which is also the country’s largest city and commercial center. Area 44,310 square miles (114,763 square kilometers). Population (2015 est.) 10,783,000. Article Contributors

Question: What is the former name of the People's Republic of Benin?
Answer: Dohomey