Benin History, Geography, Economy and Important Events

There is little information about the early history of Benin. From the 17th to the 19th century, the main political units in the area were the kingdom of Dahome as well as the city-state of Porto-Novo and a large area with many different countries to the north. The region was referred to as the slave coast since the early 17th century due to the large number of slaves shipped to the New World during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. After abolishing slavery, France took over the country and renamed it French Dahemy. In 1960, Dahomey gained complete independence from France. Since then there has been a history of the sovereign state with many different democratic governments, military coups and military governments. A Marxist-Leninist state called the People's Republic of Benin existed between 1975 and 1990. In 1991, it was replaced by the current multi-party Republic of Benin.

Benin is bordered by Togo in the west, Burkina Faso and Niger in the north, Nigeria in the east and Benin in the south. The distance from the Niger River in the north to the Atlantic Ocean in the south is approximately 650 km (404 mi). It is one of the smaller countries in West Africa, the eighth size of Nigeria, which is its neighboring country in the east. However, it is twice as large as its neighbor Togo in the west. A relief map from Benin shows that there is little variation in its elevation, averaging 200 m (656 ft) in elevation.

Benin's economy is underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture and cotton. Cotton accounts for 40% of Benin's GDP and about 80% of official export receipts. Textiles, palm products and cocoa beans are also produced. Maize (corn), beans, rice, peanuts, cashews, pineapples, cassava, yams, and various other tubers are grown for local subsistence. Benin began production of small amounts of offshore oil in October 1982. Production has stopped in recent years but exploration of new sites continues.

Benin is a linguistically diverse country. A total of 55 languages ​​are spoken in Benin, of which 50 are indigenous. Among them, French is the official language, and all native languages ​​are considered national languages. Among the Beninese languages, Fon (a Gobi language) and Yoruba are the most important in the south of the country. There are half a dozen regional languages ​​in the north, including Bariba (once counted as the Guru language) and Phulful.

Burkina Faso [L] , Niger [L] , Nigeria [LM] , Togo [LM] ,
Definition of international border: L = Land Border | M = Maritime Border