Benin

Full name of country: Republic of Benin

Region: Africa

Official language: French

Population: 14,697,052 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Beninese (singular and plural) (noun), Beninese (adjective)

Land area: 110,622 sq km (42,711 sq miles)

Water area: 2,000 sq km (772 sq miles)

Capital: Porto-Novo (official capital); Cotonou (seat of government)

National anthem: "L'Aube Nouvelle" (The Dawn of a New Day), by Gilbert Jean Dagnon

National holiday: National Day, August 1 (1960)

Population growth: 3.29% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +1

Flag: The flag of Benin depicts three solid colors: a vertical band of green extending along the whole of the hoist (left) side, and two equal and horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom). The red represents courage, the green represents hope, and yellow symbolizes wealth. These colors are considered the official colors of the Pan-Africa (African unity) movement.

Motto: “Fraternité, Justice, Travail” (Brotherhood, Justice, Labor)

Independence: August 1, 1960 (from France)

Government type: republic

Suffrage: universal for those eighteen years of age

Legal system: civil law system modeled largely on the French system and some customary law

Benin is a nation in West Africa. A former part of French West Africa, Benin was a colony of France from 1904 to 1960. Until 1975, the country was known as Dahomey. Benin, known for its Vodun religion and culture, is bordered by Niger to the north, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the northwest, Togo to the west, and the Bight of Benin to the south. Its people are known as Beninese.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: The population of Benin includes more than forty different ethnic groups. According to 2013 estimates, about 38.4 percent of Beninese people belong to the Fon ethnic group, while 15.1 percent belong to the closely related Adja (or Aja) peoples. Along with the Yoruba peoples, who make up about 12 percent of the population, the Fon and the Aja live primarily in the southern parts of Benin. The northern region is dominated by the Bariba peoples, who account for about 9.6 percent of the population. The Somba peoples (also called Ditamari or Ottamari) are also prevalent in the northern areas and make up about 6.1 percent of the population. Other groups include the Yoa-Lokpa and the Dendi.

Nearly two-thirds of the population lives in the southern part of the country, where the major cities are located. Still, many Beninese are subsistence farmers who live in rural areas.

Roughly 50.1 percent of Beninese people lived in urban areas in 2023. The capital city is Porto-Novo, which had a population of 285,000 in 2018. However, the city of Cotonou serves as the seat of government, as well as the nation's main commercial port and cultural hub; its population was estimated at 722,000 in 2022. The largest city it Abomey-Calavi, with about 1.253 million inhabitants in 2023.

Other major cities and villages include Abomey, famous as the capital of the Dahomey Empire; Ganvié, which is famous for its houses built on stilts in a lagoon; Ouidah, the center of the Vodun culture; Grand Popo, a beach resort; Natitingou, the home of the Somba people; Parakou, a trade center; and Malanville, which lies at the border of Benin, Nigeria, and Niger.

Although French is the official language, many indigenous languages are also spoken. Of these, Fon, Yom, and Yoruba are the most common languages in the south. Bariba and Fulfulde are among the various regionally important languages in the north.

The Vodun religion and culture is highly significant in Benin and is practiced by an estimated 11.6 percent of Beninese. The term gris-gris, which means "curse," is a Vodun colloquialism that alternately refers to good and bad luck. However, the most popular religion is Christianity, practiced by about 48.5 percent of the population (25.5 percent Catholic, 13.5 percent Protestant, 9.5 percent other Christian denominations), followed by Islam, practiced by 27.7 percent (2013 estimates).

Benin ranked 173 out of 193 countries and territories on the 2022 United Nations Human Development Index, which measures quality-of-life indicators.

Indigenous People: The history of precolonial Benin is a history of two distinct regions, the inhabitants of which had little to no interaction with one another. The Bariba people dominated in the north, having established the kingdoms of Bussa, Illo, Nikki, and Wawa (as well as a number of smaller, semiautonomous states) in the Borgu region, which extends into what is now northwest Nigeria, sometime around the seventh century. In the south, a group of Ewe people had migrated from modern-day Nigeria to what is now Togo, where they became the Adja and established the kingdom of Tado. Sometime around the sixteenth or early seventeenth century, according to tradition, one of three Adja brothers established the kingdom of Allada, one founded Ajashe, and one founded the kingdom of Dahomey. The latter, located in modern-day southern Benin, was populated by the Fon people, who either had been in the region previously or came about through the intermarriage of Adja and the local Gedevi people. that had been a dependency was established by one of three Adja brothers, and the people of the kingdom. Starting around 1720, the Dahomey kingdom began to assume dominance over the other states in the region.

The Fon became the most powerful group in Benin because they had settled the southern coast, where they later established a slave trade with European colonists. By selling other African peoples into slavery, Dahomey built a powerful empire that existed for centuries. When European slavery was abolished in the nineteenth century, France overtook Dahomey and established the colonies of French West Africa.

Education: Education is free and compulsory for Beninese children between ages six and eleven. However, the literacy rate among adult Beninese was estimated at just 45.8 percent in 2021. The literacy rateis lower among females (35 percent) compared to males (56.9 percent) due to institutional sexism in both government and society.

The Université Nationale du Bénin (National University of Benin), located in Cotonou, is the nation's largest university.

Health Care: Benin has a substandard health care system. Most Beninese do not receive adequate medical attention, as there are few medical centers and a lack of trained professionals and medicines. In 2019 there were only 0.07 physicians per 1,000 people in Benin. As a result, Beninese are at high risk for a number of deadly diseases.

World health experts have denounced the Beninese practice of female circumcision, which is also known as female genital mutilation (FGM). The ritual of circumcision has been performed on nearly half of Beninese women, despite its enormous health risks.

Benin's lack of potable water and high levels of urban pollution are causes of many health problems. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is widespread in Benin. Other common diseases and infections include bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, dengue fever, malaria, and meningitis. Average life expectancy at birth was estimated to be 61.1 years for males and 65 for females in 2024.

Food: Benin has many restaurants and bars in its urban areas, which typically serve brochettes, omelets, and stews. Spicy sauces such as pilipili are part of most Beninese meals. Millet, couscous, rice, okra, yams and beans are staples of the Beninese diet.

Traditional Beninese dishes include lamounou dessi, which is a stew made from tomatoes, vegetables, and seafood. Wagasi cheese is popular as well. Beer and palm wine are the most common beverages. Tchapallo and the much stronger sodabe are popular varieties of palm wine.

Arts & Entertainment: Most of Benin's folk art comes from the Dahomey Empire. Examples of this artwork include appliqué tapestries and bronze castings. Bas-reliefs, or stone wall carvings depicting people and events, are found at the palace of Abomey. Several museums, such as the Musée Ethnographique de Porto Novo, display Beninese art.

Dance is a significant art form in Benin, and is often spiritual in nature. Voodoo dances are usually performed at celebrations which honor the spirit in all things. Unlike the dances of many African cultures, Beninese dances are typically performed by individuals rather than groups. The celebration of La Gani incorporates many spiritual dances, which are rituals of self-affirmation.

Cotonou is known for its nightclubs and bars, which are melting pots for international clientele. West African pop music, particularly from Cameroon, is popular in Cotonou's nightclubs.

Holidays: Benin's biggest national holiday is Voodoo Day. Celebrated on January 10, Voodoo Day is a celebration during which people go to the beaches in Ouidah to perform sacrifices and prayers. The celebration, which involves dancing and music, is the most popular annual event in Benin. Muslim holidays are also widely observed throughout the year.

Other public holidays include Martyr's Day (January 16), Liberation Day (February 28), Armed Forces Day (October 26), and Republic Day (December 4).

Environment and Geography

Topography: The Atakora Mountains are the only significant topographical feature of Benin, which is otherwise relatively flat. The coast, which has no natural harbors, is made up of dunes and marshes. The central area of the country, which is mostly lowlands, is known as the terre de barre.

Northern Benin features a high plateau which rises to an elevation of 488 meters (1,600 feet). The highest point in the country is Mount Sokbaro in the Atakora Mountains, which rises to 658 meters (2,159 feet) above sea level.

The Ouémé River is Benin's longest, at 451 kilometers (280 miles) long. Other rivers include the Couffo in the south, the Mono in the southwest, and the Niger, Sota, Mékrou and Alibori in the north. The country's largest freshwater body is Lake Nokoué.

Natural Resources: Benin's most significant natural resource is an oil field off the coast of Cotonou. In addition to oil, the nation has deposits of marble and limestone.

Benin's trees provide a timber resource that could generate revenues if properly exploited, but the majority of Benin's wood is used as a fuel resource for the nation's people.

Plants & Animals: Animals native to Benin include hippopotamuses, elephants, lions, panthers, crocodiles, antelope, buffalo, baboons, and warthogs. Poaching is a significant threat to Beninese wildlife. Despite government bans on illegal hunting and the establishment of national parks, poaching remains an epidemic. The two main national parks are the Parc National de la Pendjari, which is considered one of the best in Africa, and the Parc National du W, which is shared with neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Benin's many species of birds include rose ringed parakeets, yellow-billed kites, African thrushes, tinkerbirds, laughing doves, common bulbuls and Senegal parrots.

Plant life in Benin is threatened by deforestation, desertification and drought. Trees in Benin's south have been mostly destroyed by deforestation, particularly along the coastal strip, which was once a dense rainforest. Most of the remaining trees are varieties of palms, clustered in the southern part of the country. Woodlands are found in the central region, while the northern area is mostly grassland.

Climate: Benin's climate is tropical. It is hot and humid in the southern region, while the northern region's climate is semiarid. Benin's average annual temperature ranges from 20 to 34 degrees Celsius (68 to 93 degrees Fahrenheit).

Rainfall is heavier in the equatorial south than in the tropical north. The central region receives the most rainfall, with an annual average of 1,300 millimeters (50 inches). In the south, there are two wet seasons. From April through July and from September through October, the south receives an average rainfall of about 510 millimeters (20 inches). The northern region receives nearly 900 millimeters (35 inches) during its wet season, from June to October.

Drought, desertification, tornadoes and the harmattan desert wind are common natural hazards in Benin.

Economy

In 1972, Benin was under the leadership of Major Mathieu Kérékou, who established a Marxist economy. During this era, Benin received foreign aid from the Eastern European communist bloc. In 1988, Benin's socialist economy collapsed, shortly before the Soviet Union disbanded. Benin then shifted to a free-market economy and democracy with help from France.

Although it has seen significant economic growth in the twenty-first century, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world and is highly dependent on foreign aid. A member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Benin receives economic and development aid from neighboring countries. In 2023, Benin's gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated at US$52.51 billion, or US$3,700 per capita.

Industry: Industrial activity is limited in Benin, as the economy is focused on the agricultural sector. Cotton is Benin's biggest export. In addition to cotton, major exports include cashews, shea butter, palm products, textiles, and seafood.

Several commercial plants conduct the majority of Benin's industrial activity. Industrial facilities include palm oil refineries, breweries, bakeries, and cotton mills.

Benin's primary export partners in 2019 were Nigeria, Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, India, China, and Vietnam. Its primary import partners were China, Thailand, India, Togo, and the United States.

Agriculture: Agriculture is one of Benin's most important economic sectors, and the nation is heavily dependent on agricultural activity. Although it is a primary economic sector, revenues from agriculture are limited by the fact that most farming is done at the subsistence level.

Cash crops include beans, cashews, cassava, corn, cotton, palm oil, and peanuts. Livestock herding includes cattle, goats, pigs, and sheep. The many species of fish caught in the waters off Benin are mostly consumed by the population, and therefore revenues from fishing are negligible.

Drought is a large threat to agricultural activity, and thus Benin's economy is vulnerable to recessions during dry seasons.

Tourism: Benin, like many West African countries, has sought to grow its tourism industry. One of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa is Ganvié, a Beninese village built in a lagoon. The bamboo huts of the village are built on stilts with high walkways. Tourists often take boat rides through the lagoon. Ganvié's nickname is the "Venice of Africa."

Other popular tourist attractions are the Dahomey palaces in Abomey, the beach resort in Ouidah, and the National Museum in Cotonou. The capital of Porto Novo is noted for its colonial architecture, and also features the country's National Archives and National Library.

Government

Benin is a democratic republic. The president is the chief of state and head of government and is elected by popular vote to a five-year term. The executive cabinet is the Council of Ministers, members of which are appointed by the president.

The nation's legislative body is the eighty-three-member Assemblee Nationale (National Assembly), whose members are elected to four-year terms. The judicial branch consists at the highest level of the Cour Constitutionnelle (Constitutional Court), the Cour Supreme (Supreme Court), and the High Court of Justice. The age of suffrage in Benin is eighteen.

Major political parties in Benin are the Alliance for a Triumphant Benin (ABT), the African Movement for Development and Progress (MADEP), the Benin Renaissance (RB), the Cowrie Force for an Emerging Benin (FCBE), the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), the New Consciousness Rally (NC), the Patriotic Awakening (RP), the Social Democrat Party (PSD), the Sun Alliance (AS), the Union Makes the Nation (UN) alliance, and the United Democratic Forces (FDU).

Upon gaining independence, Benin's government was subject to numerous overthrows. In 1960, the Dahomians were the first of several groups to attempt a coup d'état. As a result of threats from many rebel groups, Benin changed governments nine times in its first twelve years as a sovereign state.

Major Mathieu Kérékou launched a successful coup in 1972 and took control of Benin. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Kérékou 's Benin was a communist dictatorship. Kérékou stepped down in 1990, under pressure from France to establish democracy in Benin following the fall of communism in Europe.

Free elections have been held in Benin since 1991, but have often been characterized by corruption, poor voter turnout, and allegations of tampering with results. Kérékou won elections in 1996 and 2001. Thomas Yayi Boni won elections in 2006 and 2011. Patrice Talon, a businessman who made his fortune in the cotton industry, became president in 2016.

Interesting Facts

• The royal palace in Abomey was constructed in 1645 by the third king of Dahomey. Every Dahomey king thereafter built his own addition to the compound, and the entire palace now covers 100 acres. Most of the palace was burned by the tenth Dahomey king.
• Benin is known as the birthplace of Vodun (from which the term "voodoo" is derived) and was the only country in the world to recognize it or its derivatives as an official religion until 2003, when Haiti named voodoo an official religion alongside Roman Catholicism.

Bibliography

"Benin." The World Bank, 2024, data.worldbank.org/country/benin. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.

"Benin." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 16 Jan. 2025, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/benin/. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.

"Benin." World Health Organization, www.who.int/countries/ben/en/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2023.

"Human Development Insights." Human Development Reports, 13 Mar. 2024, United Nations Development Programme, hdr.undp.org/data-center/country-insights#/ranks. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.