![]() ![]() Benin is a member of the United Nations, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone, Francophonie, the Community of Sahel–Saharan States, the African Petroleum Producers Association and the Niger Basin Authority.ĭuring French colonial rule and after independence on 1 August 1960, the country was named Dahomey, after the Kingdom of Dahomey. The largest religious group in Benin is Christianity (52.2%), followed by Islam (24.6%) and traditional faiths (17.9%). The official language of Benin is French, with indigenous languages such as Fon, Bariba, Yoruba and Dendi also spoken. In 1991, it was replaced by the multi-party Republic of Benin. A self-described Marxist–Leninist state called the People's Republic of Benin existed between 19. As a sovereign state, Benin has had democratic governments, military coups, and military governments. In 1960, Dahomey gained full independence from France. France took over the territory in 1894, incorporating it into French West Africa as French Dahomey. This region was referred to as the Slave Coast from the early 17th century due to the high number of people who were sold and trafficked during the Atlantic slave trade to the New World. įrom the 17th to the 19th century, political entities in the area included the Kingdom of Dahomey, the city-state of Porto-Novo, and other states to the north. Some employment and income arise from subsistence farming. It is one of the least developed, with an economy significantly dependent on agriculture, and is an exporter of palm oil and cotton. Benin covers an area of 114,763 square kilometres (44,310 sq mi) and its population in 2021 was estimated to be approximately 13 million. The capital is Porto-Novo, and the seat of government is in Cotonou, the most populous city and economic capital. The majority of its population lives on the southern coastline of the Bight of Benin, part of the Gulf of Guinea in the northernmost tropical portion of the Atlantic Ocean. ![]() ![]() It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. Benin ( / b ɛ ˈ n iː n/ ( listen) ben- EEN, / b ɪ ˈ n iː n/ bin- EEN French: Bénin, Fon: Benɛ, Fula: Benen), officially the Republic of Benin ( French: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. ![]()
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