Benin

Benin , officially the Republic of Benin (<a href="/facts/French_language/qe1DnaQh">French</a>: République du Bénin), is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by <a href="/facts/Togo/7HzUaQkw">Togo</a> to the west, <a href="/facts/Nigeria/gbW17BX8">Nigeria</a> to the east, <a href="/facts/Burkina_Faso/L3zPAJwx">Burkina Faso</a> to the north-west, and <a href="/facts/Niger/hRbX6MkM">Niger</a> to the north-east. The majority of its population lives on the southern coastline of the <a href="/facts/Bight_of_Benin/7YtgkxH9">Bight of Benin</a>, part of the <a href="/facts/Gulf_of_Guinea/IjU57jbg">Gulf of Guinea</a> in the northernmost tropical portion of the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is <a href="/facts/Porto-Novo/YfBnvWHs">Porto-Novo</a>, and the <a href="/facts/Seat_of_government/AqeyzHjK">seat of government</a> is in <a href="/facts/Cotonou/zscFAr8k">Cotonou</a>, the most populous city and economic capital. Benin covers an area of 112,622 km2 (43,484 sq mi), and its population in 2021 was estimated to be approximately 13 million. It is a tropical country with an economy heavily dependent on agriculture and is an exporter of <a href="/facts/Palm_oil/n8zHXqoG">palm oil</a> and cotton.
From the 17th to the 19th century, political entities in the area included the <a href="/facts/Kingdom_of_Dahomey/bxxEr2RJ">Kingdom of Dahomey</a>, the city-state of <a href="/facts/Porto-Novo/YfBnvWHs">Porto Novo</a>, and other states to the north. This region was referred to as the <a href="/facts/Slave_Coast_of_West_Africa/6fS5EUMe">Slave Coast of West Africa</a> from the early 17th century due to the high number of people who were sold and trafficked during the <a href="/facts/Atlantic_slave_trade/No8T5Jhl">Atlantic slave trade</a> to the New World. France took over the territory in 1894, incorporating it into <a href="/facts/French_West_Africa/8Rd9JfVj">French West Africa</a> as <a href="/facts/French_Dahomey/lvyMz2Sg">French Dahomey</a>. In 1960, Dahomey gained full independence from France. As a <a href="/facts/Sovereign_state/TrUb8sns">sovereign state</a>, Benin has had <a href="/facts/Democratic_governments/3tLdVS1C">democratic governments</a>, <a href="/facts/Coup_d%27%C3%A9tat/eUK9HBw7">military coups</a>, and <a href="/facts/Military_government/2VDt0qs5">military governments</a>. A self-described <a href="/facts/Marxist%E2%80%93Leninist_state/oYaCr1Av">Marxist–Leninist state</a> called the <a href="/facts/People%27s_Republic_of_Benin/quWQPBjE">People's Republic of Benin</a> existed between 1975 and 1990. In 1991, it was replaced by the <a href="/facts/Multi-party_system/QaTh5oox">multi-party</a> Republic of Benin.
The <a href="/facts/Official_language/yCH2URym">official language</a> of Benin is French, with indigenous languages such as <a href="/facts/Fon_language/TdkrvueS">Fon</a>, <a href="/facts/Bariba_language/UGTP8HyG">Bariba</a>, <a href="/facts/Yoruba_language/q5osdFqR">Yoruba</a> and <a href="/facts/Dendi_language/XdgwMP2d">Dendi</a> also spoken. The largest religious group in Benin is Christianity (52.2%), followed by <a href="/facts/Islam/zDLbL45C">Islam</a> (24.6%) and <a href="/facts/African_Traditional_Religion/782bHTkX">African Traditional Religions</a> (17.9%). Benin is a member of the United Nations, the <a href="/facts/African_Union/Pz1DVnDN">African Union</a>, the <a href="/facts/Economic_Community_of_West_African_States/7fszzNxT">Economic Community of West African States</a>, the <a href="/facts/Organisation_of_Islamic_Cooperation/wWSQSzfF">Organisation of Islamic Cooperation</a>, the <a href="/facts/South_Atlantic_Peace_and_Cooperation_Zone/SjI6VvUj">South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone</a>, <a href="/facts/Organisation_internationale_de_la_Francophonie/KXMpNfSc">Francophonie</a>, the <a href="/facts/Community_of_Sahel%E2%80%93Saharan_States/HBHQTE5e">Community of Sahel–Saharan States</a>, the <a href="/facts/African_Petroleum_Producers_Association/tmeEtWd7">African Petroleum Producers Association</a> and the <a href="/facts/Niger_Basin_Authority/ky6emR75">Niger Basin Authority</a>.

Benin open-in-new

Benin