Most people live on the small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin.
The official language in Benin is French.
People also speak Fon and Yoruba.
Most people in Benin stick to their native religious beliefs. Other people are Christian and Muslim.
The total population of Benin is almost 11.6 million.
People in Benin are Beninese or Beninois.
Benin’s government is a Multiparty Democracy.
The President of Benin is Patrice Talon.
The Prime Minister of Benin is Lionel Zinsou.
Benin has a National Assembly. Benin gained independence from France on August 1, 1960.
Benin’s education system was not always free.
Benin has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world. It is close to 40%. Only about 25% of women in Benin are literate.
The total area of Benin is 112,622 square kilometers (43,484 square miles).
Benin is the 100th largest country in the world. It is a little smaller than the state of Pennsylvania.
Benin measures about 325 kilometers (202 miles) at its widest point. Benin’s coastline is 121 kilometers long.
Benin sits between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer.
Benin has Togo to the west.
On its north are Niger and Burkina Faso.
Nigeria borders Benin on the east.
On the south is the Bight of Benin.
The Bight of Benin is part of the Gulf of Guinea. It is the Slave Coast.
The highest point in Benin is Mont Sokbaro at 658 meters (2,159 feet).
Its lowest point is the Atlantic Ocean at 0 meters.
The climate in Benin is tropical.
The weather is hot.
It is humid in the south and semiarid in the north.
Benin has two rainy seasons and two dry seasons each year.
The main rainy season is from April to late July.
The shorter and weaker rainy season is from late September to November.
The main dry season is from December to April.
The shorter and cooler dry season is from late July to early September.
Benin’s coastal area gets about 1300 millimeters (51 inches) each year.
Benin has 12 departments. It is then divided into 77 communes. The 12 departments are: Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Donga, Kouffo, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou
The currency in Benin is the West African CFA franc (XOF).
The major industries in Benin are textiles, food processing, construction materials, and cement.
Benin products include cotton, corn, tapioca, yams, beans, palm oil, and peanuts.
Benin also raises livestock.
The natural resources of Benin are timber, marble, limestone, and offshore oil deposits.
Benin’s major exports are cotton, crude oil, palm products, and cocoa. Benin’s main imports are petroleum products, capital goods, and food items.
Benin was a French colony for 58 years from 1900 to 1958. France took the country after slavery was abolished. They named it French Dahomey.
Benin was the first country to go from being a dictatorship to multiparty democracy in 1990.
Benin’s capital Porto-Novo was a port for the slave trade in the 16th century. The last ship to transport slaves left Benin for Brazil in 1885.
The country became Benin on November 30, 1975, after the Bight of Benin. Earlier it was Dahomey.
The National Parks in Benin has the largest population of lions in West Africa.
The national sport of Benin is soccer (football).
Benin has a high fertility rate. The average is 5 children per woman.
The red color on Benin’s flag stands for courage. The yellow symbolizes wealth. The green symbolizes hope and revival.
The first elected president of Benin was Hubert Maga.
A typical meal in Benin has rice, vegetables, and meat or fish.
People in Benin do not like photographs. They believe a photo casts a spell or curse.
Benin is famous around the world for its carved wooden masks.
The Temple of Pythons is in Benin. It has 50 Royal Pythons. The Temple measures 130 square feet.
The Beninese believe it is polite to shake the hands of everyone in the room when leaving or entering.
Benin is the birthplace of Voodoo. It is an official state religion. Almost 17% of the population practices Voodoo.
Benin is one of Africa’s most stable democracies. It remains underdeveloped. Corruption is a widespread problem.
