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Benin

June 19, 2023

This article is about the country of Republic of Benin. For the pre-colonial kingdom in Nigeria, see Kingdom of Benin. For the city in Nigeria, see Benin City. For other uses, see Benin (disambiguation).

Benin (/bɛˈniːn/ (listen) ben-EEN, /bɪˈniːn/ bin-EEN;[8] French: Bénin [benɛ̃], Fon: Benɛ, Fula: Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (French: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey,[9] is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. 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.[10] The capital is Porto-Novo, and the seat of government is in Cotonou, the most populous city and economic capital.[citation needed] Benin covers an area of 114,763 square kilometres (44,310 sq mi)[3] and its population in 2021 was estimated to be approximately 13 million.[11][12] It is a small, tropical country. It is one of the least developed, with an economy significantly dependent on agriculture, and is an exporter of palm oil and cotton. Some employment and income arise from subsistence farming.[13][better source needed]

Republic of Benin
République du Bénin (French)
Orílẹ̀-èdè Olómìnira ilẹ̀ Bẹ̀nẹ̀ (Yoruba)
Motto: 
  • "Fraternité, Justice, Travail" (French)
  • "Fraternity, Justice, Labour"
Anthem: L'Aube nouvelle (French)
"The Dawn of a New Day"
Location of Benin (dark green)
CapitalPorto-Novoa
Largest cityCotonou
National languages
List:
Ethnic groups
(2013 census[1])
Religion
(2020)[2]
Demonym(s)
  • Beninese
GovernmentUnitary presidential republic
• President
Patrice Talon
Mariam Chabi Talata
LegislatureNational Assembly
Independence
• Republic of Dahomey established
11 December 1958
• from France
1 August 1960
Area
• Total
114,763 km2 (44,310 sq mi)[3] (100th)
• Water (%)
0.4%
Population
• 2022 estimate
13,754,688[4] (74th)
• Density
94.8/km2 (245.5/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)2019 estimate
• Total
$29.918 billion[5] (137th)
• Per capita
$2,552[5] (163rd)
GDP (nominal)2019 estimate
• Total
$11.386 billion[5] (141st)
• Per capita
$971[5] (163rd)
Gini (2015) 47.8[6]
high
HDI (2021) 0.525[7]
low · 166th
CurrencyWest African CFA franc (XOF)
Time zoneUTC+1 (WAT)
Date formatdd/mm/yyyy
Driving sideright
Calling code+229
ISO 3166 codeBJ
Internet TLD.bj
  1. Cotonou is the seat of government.

From 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. 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. France took over the territory in 1894, incorporating it into French West Africa as French Dahomey. In 1960, Dahomey gained full independence from France. As a sovereign state, Benin has had democratic governments, military coups, and military governments. A self-described Marxist–Leninist state called the People's Republic of Benin existed between 1975 and 1990. In 1991, it was replaced by the multi-party Republic of Benin.[14]

The official language of Benin is French, with indigenous languages such as Fon, Bariba, Yoruba and Dendi also spoken. The largest religious group in Benin is Christianity (52.2%), followed by Islam (24.6%) and traditional faiths (17.9%).[15] 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.

Etymology

During French colonial rule and after independence on 1 August 1960, the country was named Dahomey, after the Kingdom of Dahomey. On 30 November 1975, the country was renamed Benin following a Marxist-Leninist military coup.[16] The Bight of Benin borders the country, and the bight takes its name from the Kingdom of Benin, located in present-day Nigeria.

History

Main article: History of Benin

Pre-colonial

 
Map of the Kingdom of Dahomey, 1793.

Prior to 1600, present-day Benin comprised a variety of areas with different political systems and ethnicities. These included city-states along the coast (primarily of the Aja ethnic group, and also including Yoruba and Gbe peoples) and tribal regions inland (composed of Bariba, Mahi, Gedevi, and Kabye peoples). The Oyo Empire, located primarily to the east of Benin, was a military force in the region, conducting raids and exacting tribute from the coastal kingdoms and tribal regions.[17] The situation changed in the 17th and 18th centuries as the Kingdom of Dahomey, consisting mostly of Fon people, was founded on the Abomey plateau and began taking over areas along the coast.[18] By 1727, King Agaja of the Kingdom of Dahomey had conquered the coastal cities of Allada and Whydah. Dahomey had become a tributary of the Oyo Empire, and rivaled but did not directly attack the Oyo-allied city-state of Porto-Novo.[19] The rise of Dahomey, its rivalry with Porto-Novo, and tribal politics in the northern region persisted into the colonial and post-colonial periods.[20]

In the Dahomey, some younger people were apprenticed to older soldiers and taught the kingdom's military customs until they were old enough to join the army.[21] Dahomey instituted an elite female soldier corps variously called Ahosi (the king's wives), Mino ("our mothers" in Fongbe), or the "Dahomean Amazons". This emphasis on military preparation and achievement earned Dahomey the nickname of "Black Sparta", from European observers and 19th-century explorers such as Sir Richard Burton.[22]

 
The Portuguese Empire was the longest European presence in Benin, beginning in 1680 and ending in 1961 when the last forces left Ajudá.

The kings of Dahomey sold their war captives into transatlantic slavery[23] or killed them ritually in a ceremony known as the Annual Customs. By about 1750, the King of Dahomey was earning an estimated £250,000 per year by selling African captives to European slave-traders.[24] The area was named the "Slave Coast" because of a flourishing slave trade. Court protocols which demanded that a portion of war captives from the kingdom's battles be decapitated, decreased the number of enslaved people exported from the area. The number went from 102,000 people per decade in the 1780s to 24,000 per decade by the 1860s.[25] The decline was partly due to the Slave Trade Act 1807 banning the trans-Atlantic slave trade by Britain in 1808, followed by other countries.[24] This decline continued until 1885 when the last slave ship departed the modern Benin Republic for Brazil, which had yet to abolish slavery. The capital Porto-Novo ("New Port" in Portuguese) was originally developed as a port for the slave trade.

 
Dahomey Amazons with the King at their head, going to war, 1793.

Among the goods the Portuguese sought were carved items of ivory made by Benin's artisans in the form of carved saltcellars, spoons, and hunting horns - pieces of African art produced for sale abroad as exotic objects.[26]

Colonial

See also: Second Franco-Dahomean War
 
A French depiction of the conquest of Dahomey in 1893

By the middle of the 19th century, Dahomey had "begun to weaken and lose its status as the regional power". The French took over the area in 1892. In 1899, the French included the land called French Dahomey within the larger French West Africa colonial region.

France sought to benefit from Dahomey and the region "appeared to lack the necessary agricultural or mineral resources for large-scale capitalist development". As a result, France treated Dahomey as a sort of preserve in case future discoveries revealed resources worth developing.[27]

The French government outlawed the capture and sale of slaves. Previous slaveowners sought to redefine their control over slaves as control over land, tenants, and lineage members. This provoked a struggle among Dahomeans, "concentrated in the period from 1895 to 1920, for the redistribution of control over land and labor. Villages sought to redefine boundaries of lands and fishing preserves. Religious disputes scarcely veiled the factional struggles over control of land and commerce which underlay them. Factions struggled for the leadership of great families".[25]

In 1958, France granted autonomy to the Republic of Dahomey, and full independence on 1 August 1960 which is celebrated each year as Independence Day, a national holiday.[28] The president who led the country to independence was Hubert Maga.[29][30]

Post-colonial

After 1960, there were coups and regime changes, with the figures of Hubert Maga, Sourou Apithy, Justin Ahomadégbé, and Émile Derlin Zinsou dominating; the first 3 each represented a different area and ethnicity of the country. These 3 agreed to form a Presidential Council after violence marred the 1970 elections.

On 7 May 1972, Maga ceded power to Ahomadégbé. On 26 October 1972, Lt. Col. Mathieu Kérékou overthrew the ruling triumvirate, becoming president and stating that the country would not "burden itself by copying foreign ideology, and wants neither Capitalism, Communism, nor Socialism". On 30 November 1974, he announced that the country was officially Marxist, under control of the Military Council of the Revolution (CMR), which nationalized the petroleum industry and banks. On 30 November 1975, he renamed the country the People's Republic of Benin.[31][32] The regime of the People's Republic of Benin underwent changes over the course of its existence: a nationalist period (1972–1974); a socialist phase (1974–1982); and a phase involving an opening to Western countries and economic liberalism (1982–1990).[33]

In 1974, under the influence of young revolutionaries – the "Ligueurs" - the government embarked on a socialist program: nationalization of strategic sectors of the economy, reform of the education system, establishment of agricultural cooperatives and new local government structures, and a campaign to eradicate "feudal forces" including tribalism. The regime banned opposition activities. Mathieu Kérékou was elected president by the National Revolutionary Assembly in 1980, re-elected in 1984. Establishing relations with China, North Korea, and Libya, he put "nearly all" businesses and economic activities under state control, causing foreign investment in Benin to dry up.[34] Kérékou attempted to reorganize education, pushing his own aphorisms such as "Poverty is not a fatality".[34] The regime financed itself by contracting to take nuclear waste, first from the Soviet Union and later from France.[34]

In the 1980s, Benin experienced higher economic growth rates (15.6% in 1982, 4.6% in 1983 and 8.2% in 1984), until the closure of the Nigerian border with Benin led to a drop in customs and tax revenues. The government was no longer able to pay civil servants' salaries.[33] In 1989, riots broke out when the regime did not have enough money to pay its army. The banking system collapsed. Eventually, Kérékou renounced Marxism, and a convention forced Kérékou to release political prisoners and arrange elections.[34] Marxism–Leninism was abolished as the country's form of government.[35]

The country's name was officially changed to the Republic of Benin on 1 March 1990, after the newly formed government's constitution was completed.[36]

 
Yayi Boni's 2006 presidential inauguration

Kérékou lost to Nicéphore Soglo in a 1991 election and became the first President on the African mainland to lose power through an election.[37] Kérékou returned to power after winning the 1996 vote. In 2001, an election resulted in Kérékou winning another term, after which his opponents claimed election irregularities.[38] In 1999, Kérékou issued a national apology for the substantial role that Africans had played in the Atlantic slave trade.[39]

Kérékou and former president Soglo did not run in the 2006 elections, as both were barred by the constitution's restrictions on age and total terms of candidates.[40] On 5 March 2006, an election resulted in a runoff between Yayi Boni and Adrien Houngbédji. The runoff election was held on 19 March and was won by Boni,[41] who assumed office on 6 April.[42] Boni was reelected in 2011, taking 53.18% of the vote in the first round—enough to avoid a runoff election. He was the first president to win an election without a runoff since the restoration of democracy in 1991.[43]

In the March 2016 presidential elections in which Boni Yayi was barred by the constitution from running for a third term, businessman Patrice Talon won the second round with 65.37% of the vote, defeating investment banker and former Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou. Talon was sworn in on 6 April 2016.[44] Speaking on the same day that the Constitutional Court confirmed the results, Talon said that he would "first and foremost tackle constitutional reform", discussing his plan to limit presidents to a single term of 5 years in order to combat "complacency". He said that he planned to slash the size of the government from 28 to 16 members.[45] In April 2021, President Patrice Talon was re-elected, with more than 86.3% of the votes cast, in Benin's presidential election.[46] The change in election laws resulted in total control of parliament by president Talon's supporters.[47]

In February 2022, Benin saw its largest terrorist attack in history.[48]

An exhibition of 26 pieces of sacred art was returned to Benin from France, 129 years after they were looted by colonial forces in 2022.[49]

Politics

Main article: Politics of Benin

Its politics take place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic in which the President of Benin is both head of state and head of government, within a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in the government and the legislature. The judiciary is officially independent of the executive and the legislature, while in practice its independence has been gradually hollowed out by Talon, and the Constitutional Court is headed by his former personal lawyer.[50] The political system is derived from the 1990 Constitution of Benin and the subsequent transition to democracy in 1991.

It was ranked 18th out of 52 African countries and scored best in the categories of Safety & Rule of Law and Participation & Human Rights.[51] In its 2007 Worldwide Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders ranked Benin 53rd out of 169 countries. That place had fallen to 78th by 2016, when Talon took office, and has fallen further to 113th.[50] Benin has been rated equal-88th out of 159 countries in a 2005 analysis of police, business, and political corruption.[52]

Its democratic system "has eroded" since President Talon took office.[50] In 2018 his government introduced new rules for fielding candidates and raised the cost of registering. The electoral commission, packed with Talon's allies, barred all opposition parties from the parliamentary election in 2019, resulting in a parliament made up entirely of supporters of Talon. That parliament subsequently changed election laws such that presidential candidates need to have the approval of at least 10% of Benin's MPs and mayors. As parliament and most mayors' offices are controlled by Talon, he has control over who can run for president. These changes have drawn condemnation from international observers and led to the United States government partially terminating development assistance to the country.[53][54][55][56]

Administrative divisions

Main articles: Departments of Benin and Communes of Benin
AliboriAtakoraBorgouDongaCollinesPlateauZouCouffoAtlantiqueOuéméMonoLittoral 
Departments of Benin.

Benin is divided into twelve departments (French: départements) which are subdivided into 77 communes. In 1999, the previous six departments were each split into 2 halves, forming the later twelve.[57]


Map key Department Capital[58]

[59]

 Population (2013) Area (km2)[60] Former
Department 		Region Sub-Region
2 Alibori Kandi 868,046 26,242 Borgou North North East
1 Atakora Natitingou 769,337 20,499 Atakora North North West
10 Atlantique Allada 1,396,548 3,233 Atlantique South South Centre
4 Borgou Parakou 1,202,095 25,856 Borgou North North East
5 Collines Dassa-Zoumé 716,558 13,931 Zou South South Centre
6 Kouffo Aplahoué 741,895 2,404 Mono South South West
3 Donga Djougou 542,605 11,126 Atakora North North West
11 Littoral Cotonou 678,874 79 Atlantique South South Centre
9 Mono Lokossa 495,307 1,605 Mono South South West
12 Ouémé Porto-Novo 1,096,850 1,281 Ouémé South South East
8 Plateau Pobè 624,146 3,264 Ouémé South South East
7 Zou Abomey 851,623 5,243 Zou South South Centre


Demographics

Ethnic Groups of Benin (2013 Census)

  Fon (38.4%)
  Adja & Mina (15.1%)
  Yoruba (12%)
  Bariba (9.6%)
  Fula (8.6%)
  Ottamari (6.1%)
  Yoa-Lokpa (4.3%)
  Dendi (2.9%)
  Other (2.8%)
 
Children
Main articles: Demographics of Benin and Languages of Benin

The majority of Benin's 11,485,000 inhabitants live in the south of the country. The life expectancy is 62 years.[61] About 42 African ethnic groups live in this country, including the Yoruba in the southeast (migrated from Nigeria in the 12th century); the Dendi in the north-central area (who came from Mali in the 16th century); the Bariba and the Fula in the northeast; the Betammaribe and the Somba in the Atakora Mountains; the Fon in the area around Abomey in the South Central and the Mina, Xueda, and Aja (who came from Togo) on the coast.[62]

Migrations have brought other African nationals to Benin that include Nigerians, Togolese, and Malians.[63] The foreign community includes Lebanese and Indians involved in trade and commerce.[63] The personnel of European embassies and foreign aid missions and of nongovernmental organisations and missionary groups account for a part of the 5,500 European population.[62] A part of the European population consists of Beninese citizens of French ancestry.[citation needed]

Historical population
Year1950 2000 2021
Population[11][12]2,200,0006,800,00013,000,000
±%—    +209.1%+91.2%
 
 
Largest cities or towns in Benin
According to the 2013 Census[64]
Rank Name Department Pop.
 
Cotonou
 
Porto-Novo 		1 Cotonou Littoral 679,012
2 Porto-Novo Ouémé 264,320
3 Parakou Borgou 255,478
4 Godomey Atlantique 253,262
5 Abomey-Calavi Atlantique 117,824
6 Djougou Donga 94,773
7 Bohicon Zou 93,744
8 Ekpè Ouémé 75,313
9 Abomey Zou 67,885
10 Nikki Borgou 66,109

Religion

Religion in Benin (2013 CIA World Factbook estimate)[65]

  Christianity (48.5%)
  Islam (27.7%)
  Others / None (12.2%)
  Vodun (11.6%)
 
A Celestial Church of Christ baptism in Cotonou. 5% of Benin's population belongs to this denomination, an African Initiated Church.
Main article: Religion in Benin

The two largest religions are Christianity, followed throughout the south and center of Benin and in Otammari country in the Atakora, and Islam, introduced by the Songhai Empire and Hausa merchants, and followed throughout Alibori, Borgou and Donga provinces, and among the Yoruba (who also follow Christianity). Some continue to hold Vodun and Orisha beliefs and have incorporated the pantheon of Vodun and Orisha into Christianity. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, a Muslim sect originating in the 19th century, has a presence in the country.

In the 2013 census, 48.5% of the population of Benin were Christian (25.5% Roman Catholic, 6.7% Celestial Church of Christ, 3.4% Methodist, 12.9% other Christian denominations), 27.7% were Muslim, 11.6% practiced Vodun, 2.6% practiced other local traditional religions, 2.6% practiced other religions, and 5.8% claimed no religious affiliation.[1][66] A government survey conducted by the Demographic and Health Surveys Program in 2011–2012 indicated that followers of Christianity were 57.5% of the population (with Catholics making up 33.9%, Methodists 3.0%, Celestials 6.2% and other Christians 14.5%), while Muslims were 22.8%.[67]

Traditional religions include local animistic religions in the Atakora (Atakora and Donga provinces), and Vodun and Orisha veneration among the Yoruba and Tado peoples in the center and south of the nation. The town of Ouidah on the central coast is the spiritual center of Beninese Vodun.

Education

 
Students.
Main article: Education in Benin

The literacy rate: in 2015 it was estimated to be 38.4% (49.9% for males and 27.3% for females).[61] Benin has achieved universal primary education and half of the children (54%) were enrolled in secondary education in 2013, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

While at a time the education system was not free,[68] Benin has abolished school fees and is carrying out the recommendations of its 2007 Educational Forum.[69] The government has devoted more than 4% of GDP to education since 2009. In 2015, public expenditure on education (all levels) amounted to 4.4% of GDP, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Within this expenditure, Benin devoted a share to tertiary education: 0.97% of GDP.[70]

Between 2009 and 2011, the share of people enrolled at university rose from 10% to 12% of the 18–25 year age cohort. Student enrollment in tertiary education more than doubled between 2006 and 2011 from 50,225 to 110,181. These statistics encompass not only bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. programmes but also students enrolled in nondegree post-secondary diplomas.[70]

Health

Main article: Health in Benin
See also: HIV/AIDS in Benin

The HIV/AIDS rate in Benin was estimated in 2013 at 1.13% of adults aged 15–49 years.[71] Malaria is a problem in Benin, being a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children younger than 5 years.[72]

During the 1980s, less than 30% of the country's population had access to primary health care services. Benin's infant mortality rate stood at 203 deaths for every 1000 live births. 1 in 3 mothers had access to child health care services. The Bamako Initiative changed that by introducing community-based healthcare reform, resulting in "more efficient and equitable" provision of services.[73] As of 2015, Benin had the 26th highest rate of maternal mortality in the world.[74] According to a 2013 UNICEF report, 13% of women had undergone female genital mutilation.[75] An approach strategy was extended to all areas of healthcare, with subsequent improvement in the health care indicators and improvement in health care efficiency and cost.[76] Demographic and Health Surveys has surveyed the issue in Benin since 1996.[77][better source needed]

Geography

Main article: Geography of Benin
 
Map of Köppen climate classification.

The north–south strip of land in West Africa lies between latitudes 6° and 13°N, and longitudes 0° and 4°E. It is bounded by Togo to the west, Burkina Faso and Niger to the north, Nigeria to the east, and the Bight of Benin to the south. The distance from the Niger River in the north to the Atlantic Ocean in the south is about 650 km (404 mi). Although the coastline measures 121 km (75 mi), the country measures about 325 km (202 mi) at its widest point. 4 terrestrial ecoregions lie within Benin's borders: Eastern Guinean forests, Nigerian lowland forests, Guinean forest-savanna mosaic, and West Sudanian savanna.[78] It had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 5.86/10, ranking it 93rd globally out of 172 countries.[79]

 
Atakora, 1 of Benin's 2 northernmost departments.
 
The Pendjari National Park is a reserve for the West African lion and other large animals of West Africa.

Benin shows some variation in elevation and can be divided into 4 areas from the south to the north, starting with the lower-lying, sandy, coastal plain (highest elevation 10 m (32.8 ft)) which is, at most, 10 km (6.2 mi) wide. It is marshy and dotted with lakes and lagoons communicating with the ocean. Behind the coast lies the Guinean forest-savanna mosaic-covered plateaus of southern Benin (altitude between 20 and 200 m (66 and 656 ft)), which are split by valleys running north to south along the Couffo, Zou, and Ouémé Rivers.

This geography makes it vulnerable to climate change. With the majority of the country living near the coast in lower-lying areas sea level rise could have effects on the economy and population.[80] Northern areas will see additional regions become deserts.[81] An area of flatter land dotted with rocky hills whose altitude reaches 400 m (1,312 ft) extends around Nikki and Save.

A range of mountains extends along the northwest border and into Togo; these are the Atacora. The highest point, Mont Sokbaro, is at 658 m (2,159 ft). Benin has fields, mangroves, and remnants of forests. In the rest of the country, the savanna is covered with thorny scrub and dotted with baobab trees. Some forests line the banks of rivers. In the north and the northwest of Benin, the Reserve du W du Niger and Pendjari National Park has elephants, lions, antelopes, hippos, and monkeys.[62][verification needed] Pendjari National Park together with the bordering Parks Arli and W in Burkina Faso and Niger are among the strongholds for the endangered West African lion. With an estimated 356 (range: 246–466) lions, W-Arli-Pendjari harbors the largest remaining population of lions in West Africa.[82] Historically Benin has served as habitat for the endangered painted hunting dog, Lycaon pictus;[83] this canid is thought to have been locally extirpated.

Annual rainfall in the coastal area averages 1300 mm or about 51 inches. Benin has 2 rainy and 2 dry seasons per year. The principal rainy season is from April to late July, with a shorter less intense rainy period from September to November. The main dry season is from December to April, with a cooler dry season from July to September. Temperatures and humidity are higher along the tropical coast. In Cotonou, the average maximum temperature is 31 °C (87.8 °F); the minimum is 24 °C (75.2 °F).[62]

Variations in temperature increase when moving north through savanna and plateau toward the Sahel. A dry wind from the Sahara called the Harmattan blows from December to March, when grass dries up, other vegetation turns reddish brown, and a veil of fine dust hangs over the country, causing the skies to be "overcast". It is also the season when farmers burn brush in the fields.[62]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Benin
 
A proportional representation of Benin exports, 2019
 
Extensive agriculture in the north of Benin, near Djougou.
 
Real GDP per capita development of Benin since 1950

The economy is dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Cotton accounts for 40% of the GDP and roughly 80% of official export receipts.[84]

Real GDP growth was estimated at 5.1 and 5.7% in 2008 and 2009, respectively. The main driver of growth is the agricultural sector, with cotton being the main export, while services continue to contribute the largest part of GDP mostly because of Benin's geographical location, enabling trade, transportation, transit and tourism activities with its neighboring states.[85] Benin's overall macroeconomic conditions were "positive" in 2017, with a growth rate of around 5.6%. Economic growth was mostly driven by the cotton industry and other cash crops, the Port of Cotonou, and telecommunications. A source of revenue is the Port of Cotonou, and the government is seeking to expand its revenue base. In 2017, Benin imported about $2.8 billion in goods such as rice, meat and poultry, alcoholic beverages, fuel plastic materials, specialized mining and excavating machinery, telecommunications equipment, passenger vehicles, and toiletries and cosmetics. Principal exports are ginned cotton, cotton cake and cotton seeds, cashew, shea butter, cooking oil, and lumber.[86]

Access to biocapacity is lower than world average. In 2016, Benin had 0.9 global hectares[87] of biocapacity per person within its territory, less than the world average of 1.6 global hectares per person.[88] In 2016 Benin used 1.4 global hectares of biocapacity per person - their ecological footprint of consumption. This means they use "slightly under double" as much biocapacity as Benin contains. As a result, Benin is running a biocapacity deficit.[87]

 
Cotton field in northern Benin.

In order to raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products, and encourage new information and communication technology. Projects to improve the business climate by reforms to the land tenure system, the commercial justice system, and the financial sector were included in Benin's US$307 million Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006.[89]

The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, with Benin benefiting from a G8 debt reduction announced in July 2005, while pressing for more rapid structural reforms. An "insufficient" electrical supply continues to "adversely affect" Benin's economic growth and the government has taken steps to increase domestic power production.[61]

While trade unions in Benin represent up to 75% of the formal workforce, the informal economy has been noted by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITCU) to contain ongoing problems, including a lack of women's wage equality, the use of child labor, and the continuing issue of forced labor.[90] Benin is a member of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA).[91]

Cotonou has the country's only seaport and international airport. Benin is connected by 2-lane asphalted roads to its neighboring countries (Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria). Mobile telephone service is available across the country through operators. ADSL connections are available in some areas. Benin is connected to the Internet by way of satellite connections (since 1998) and a single submarine cable SAT-3/WASC (since 2001). Relief of "high price" is expected with the initiation of the Africa Coast to Europe cable in 2011.

With the GDP growth rate of 4–5% remaining consistent over 2 decades, poverty has been increasing.[92] According to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Analysis in Benin, those living under the poverty line have increased from 36.2% in 2011 to 40.1% in 2015.[93]

Science and technology

Main article: Science and technology in Benin

National policy framework

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is responsible for implementing science policy. The National Directorate of Scientific and Technological Research handles planning and coordination whereas the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research and National Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters each play an advisory role. Financial support comes from Benin's National Fund for Scientific Research and Technological Innovation. The Benin Agency for the Promotion of Research Results and Technological Innovation carries out technology transfer through the development and dissemination of research results.[70] Benin was ranked 128th in the Global Innovation Index in 2021, down from 123rd in 2019.[94][95][96][97]

The regulatory framework has evolved since 2006 when the a science policy was prepared. This has been updated and complemented by new texts on science and innovation (the year of adoption is between brackets):[70]

  • a manual for monitoring and evaluating research structures and organizations (2013);
  • a manual on how to select research programmes and projects and apply to the National Fund for Scientific Research and Technological Innovation (2013) for competitive grants;
  • a draft act for funding scientific research and innovation and a draft code of ethics for scientific research and innovation were both submitted to the Supreme Court in 2014;
  • a strategic plan for scientific research and innovation (under development in 2015).

Equally important are Benin's efforts to integrate science into existing policy documents:

  • Benin Development Strategies 2025: Benin 2025 Alafia (2000);
  • Growth Strategy for Poverty Reduction 2011–2016 (2011);
  • Phase 3 of the Ten-year Development Plan for the Education Sector, covering 2013–2015;
  • Development Plan for Higher Education and Scientific Research 2013–2017 (2014).

In 2015, Benin's priority areas for scientific research were: health, education, construction and building materials, transportation and trade, culture, tourism and handicrafts, cotton/textiles, food, energy and climate change.[70]

Some so-called challenges facing research and development in Benin are:[70]

  • the unfavorable organizational framework for research: weak governance, a lack of co-operation between research structures and the absence of an official document on the status of researchers;
  • the inadequate use of human resources and the lack of any motivational policy for researchers; and
  • the mismatch between research and development needs.

Human and financial investment in research

In 2007, Benin counted 1,000 researchers (in headcounts). This corresponds to 115 researchers per million inhabitants. The "main research structures" are the Centre for Scientific and Technical Research, National Institute of Agricultural Research, National Institute for Training and Research in Education, Office of Geological and Mining Research and the Centre for Entomological Research.[70]

The University of Abomey-Calavi was selected by the World Bank in 2014 to participate in its Centres of Excellence project, owing to its expertise in applied mathematics. Within this project, the World Bank has loaned $8 million to Benin. The Association of African Universities has received funds to enable it to co-ordinate knowledge-sharing among the 19 universities in West Africa involved in the project.[70]

There are "no available data" on Benin's level of investment in research and development.[70]

In 2013, the government devoted 2.5% of GDP to public health. In December 2014, 150 volunteer health professionals travelled to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone from Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria, as part of a joint initiative by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its specialized agency, the West African Health Organisation, to help combat the epidemic. The Ebola epidemic has been a reminder of the underinvestment in West African health systems.[70]

The Government of Benin devoted less than 5% of GDP to agricultural development in 2010, while the members of the African Union had agreed to commit at least 10% of GDP to this area in the Maputo Declaration of 2003. They reiterated this goal in the Malabo Declaration adopted in Equatorial Guinea in 2014. In the latter declaration, they reaffirmed their 'intention to devote 10% of their national budgets to agricultural development and agreed to targets such as doubling agricultural productivity, halving post-harvest loss and bringing stunting down to 10% across Africa'. African leaders meeting in Equatorial Guinea failed to resolve the debate on establishing a common standard of measurement for the 10% target.[98]

Research output

Benin has the third-highest publication intensity for scientific journals in West Africa, according to Thomson Reuters' Web of Science, Science Citation Index Expanded. There were 25.5 scientific articles per million inhabitants cataloged in this database in 2014. This compares with 65.0 for the Gambia, 49.6 for Cape Verde, 23.2 for Senegal and 21.9 for Ghana. The volume of publications in this database tripled in Benin between 2005 and 2014 from 86 to 270. Between 2008 and 2014, Benin's "main scientific collaborators" were based in France (529 articles), United States (261), United Kingdom (254), Belgium (198) and Germany (156).[70]

Transportation

Main article: Transport in Benin

Transport in Benin includes road, rail, water and air transportation. Benin possesses a total of 6,787 km of highway, of which 1,357 km are paved. Of the paved highways in the country, there are 10 expressways. This leaves 5,430 km of unpaved road. The Trans-West African Coastal Highway crosses Benin, connecting it to Nigeria to the east, and Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast to the west. When construction in Liberia and Sierra Leone is finished, the highway will continue west to 7 other Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) nations. A paved highway connects Benin northwards to Niger, and through that country to Burkina Faso and Mali to the north-west.

Rail transport in Benin consists of 578 km (359 mi) of single track, 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge railway. Construction work has commenced on international lines connecting Benin with Niger and Nigeria, with outline plans announced for further connections to Togo and Burkina Faso. Benin will be a participant in the AfricaRail project.

Cadjehoun Airport, located at Cotonou, has direct international jet service to Accra, Niamey, Monrovia, Lagos, Ouagadougou, Lomé, and Douala, and other cities in Africa. Direct services link Cotonou to Paris, Brussels, and Istanbul.

Culture

 
Palais Des Congres in Cotonou.

Arts

See also: Benin literature, Music of Benin, and Cinema of Benin
 
Music group.

Beninese literature had an oral tradition before French became the dominant language.[99] Félix Couchoro wrote the first Beninese novel, L'Esclave (The Slave), in 1929.

Post-independence, native folk music was combined with Ghanaian highlife, French cabaret, American rock, funk and soul, and Congolese rumba.

Biennale Benin, continuing the projects of some organizations and artists, started in the country in 2010 as a collaborative event called "Regard Benin". In 2012, the project became a Biennial coordinated by the Consortium, a federation of local associations. The international exhibition and artistic program of the 2012 Biennale Benin are curated by Abdellah Karroum and the Curatorial Delegation.

Customary names

Some Beninese in the south of the country have Akan-based names indicating the day of the week on which they were born. This is due to influence of the Akan people such as the Akwamu and others.[100]

Language

Main article: Languages of Benin

Local languages are used as the languages of instruction in elementary schools, with French introduced after years. At the secondary school level, French is the sole language of instruction. Beninese languages are "generally transcribed" with a separate letter for each speech sound (phoneme), rather than using diacritics as in French or digraphs as in English. This includes Beninese Yoruba, which in Nigeria is written with both diacritics and digraphs. For instance, the mid vowels written é, è, ô, o in French are written e, ɛ, o, ɔ in Beninese languages, whereas the consonants are written ng and sh or ch in English are written ŋ and c. Digraphs are used for nasal vowels and the labial-velar consonants kp and gb, as in the name of the Fon language Fon gbe /fõ ɡ͡be/, and diacritics are used as tone marks. In French-language publications, a mixture of French and Beninese orthographies may be seen.

Cuisine

 
Acarajé is peeled black-eyed peas formed into a ball and then deep-fried.
Main article: Benin cuisine

The cuisine involves fresh meals served with a variety of key sauces. In southern Benin cuisine, an ingredient is corn which has been used to prepare dough which has been served with peanut- or tomato-based sauces. Fish and chicken, beef, goat, and bush rat are consumed. A staple in northern Benin is yams which has been served with sauces mentioned above. The population in the northern provinces use beef and pork meat which is fried in palm or peanut oil or cooked in sauces. Cheese is used in some dishes. Couscous, rice, and beans are eaten, along with fruits such as mangoes, oranges, avocados, bananas, kiwi fruit, and pineapples.

Meals are said to be generally light on meat and generous on vegetable fat. Frying in palm or peanut oil is a meat preparation, and smoked fish is prepared in Benin. Grinders are used to prepare corn flour, which is made into a dough and served with sauces. "Chicken on the spit" is a recipe in which chicken is roasted over a fire on wooden sticks. Palm roots are sometimes soaked in a jar with salt water and sliced garlic to tenderize them, then used in dishes. Some people have outdoor mud stoves for cooking.

Sports

The major sports in Benin are Association football, Basketball, Golf, Cycling, Baseball, Softball, Tennis and Rugby union.[101] In the 21st century, Baseball was introduced to the country.[102]

Traditional authorities

Benin has numerous non-sovereign monarchies within the country, many of them derivative of pre-colonial kingdoms (such as Arda). Non-sovereign monarchs do not have an official, constitutional role, and are largely ceremonial and subservient to political and civil authorities. Despite this, they play an influential role in local political matters within their particular realms and are often courted by Beninese politicians for electoral support. Advocacy groups such as the High Council of Kings of Benin represent the monarchs nationally.[103][104]

See also

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  This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under CC BY-SA IGO 3.0. Text taken from UNESCO Science Report: towards 2030​, 471–497, UNESCO, UNESCO Publishing. To learn how to add open license text to Wikipedia articles, please see this how-to page. For information on reusing text from Wikipedia, please see the terms of use.

Further reading

  • Butler, S., Benin (Bradt Travel Guides) (Bradt Travel Guides, 2019)
  • Caulfield, Annie, Show Me the Magic: Travels Round Benin by Taxi (Penguin Books Ltd, 2003)
  • Kraus, Erika and Reid, Felice, Benin (Other Places Travel Guide) (Other Places Publishing, 2010)
  • Seely, Jennifer, The Legacies of Transition Governments in Africa: The Cases of Benin and Togo (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009)

External links

Government

  • Government of Benin (official website) (in French)
  • Global Integrity Report: Benin[permanent dead link]

News media

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6°28′N 2°36′E / 6.467°N 2.600°E / 6.467; 2.600

June 19, 2023
benin, this, article, about, country, republic, colonial, kingdom, nigeria, kingdom, city, nigeria, city, other, uses, disambiguation, listen, french, bénin, benɛ, benɛ, fula, benen, officially, republic, french, république, bénin, formerly, dahomey, country, . This article is about the country of Republic of Benin For the pre colonial kingdom in Nigeria see Kingdom of Benin For the city in Nigeria see Benin City For other uses see Benin disambiguation Benin b ɛ ˈ n iː n listen ben EEN b ɪ ˈ n iː n bin EEN 8 French Benin benɛ Fon Benɛ Fula Benen officially the Republic of Benin French Republique du Benin and formerly Dahomey 9 is a country in West Africa It is bordered by Togo to the west Nigeria to the east Burkina Faso to the north west and Niger to the north east 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 10 The capital is Porto Novo and the seat of government is in Cotonou the most populous city and economic capital citation needed Benin covers an area of 114 763 square kilometres 44 310 sq mi 3 and its population in 2021 was estimated to be approximately 13 million 11 12 It is a small tropical country It is one of the least developed with an economy significantly dependent on agriculture and is an exporter of palm oil and cotton Some employment and income arise from subsistence farming 13 better source needed Republic of BeninRepublique du Benin French Orilẹ ede Olominira ilẹ Bẹ nẹ Yoruba Flag Coat of armsMotto Fraternite Justice Travail French Fraternity Justice Labour Anthem L Aube nouvelle French The Dawn of a New Day source source track track track track Location of Benin dark green CapitalPorto NovoaLargest cityCotonouNational languagesList FrenchArabicEnglishAgunaAjaAladaFonGbeGenGunPheraPhlaTofinTɔliWaciBerbaKabyeLamaLukpaMbelimeMossiNateniNgangamTammariTemWaamaYomKwaChakosiFoodoEdeIfeMokoleYorubaYoruboidBaribaDendiFulaHausaEthnic groups 2013 census 1 38 4 Fon15 1 Adja amp Mina12 Yoruba9 6 Bariba8 6 Fula6 1 Ottamari4 3 Yoa Lokpa2 9 Dendi2 8 OthersReligion 2020 2 52 2 Christianity24 6 Islam17 9 Traditional faiths5 2 No religion0 1 OthersDemonym s BenineseGovernmentUnitary presidential republic PresidentPatrice Talon Vice PresidentMariam Chabi TalataLegislatureNational AssemblyIndependence Republic of Dahomey established11 December 1958 from France1 August 1960Area Total114 763 km2 44 310 sq mi 3 100th Water 0 4 Population 2022 estimate13 754 688 4 74th Density94 8 km2 245 5 sq mi GDP PPP 2019 estimate Total 29 918 billion 5 137th Per capita 2 552 5 163rd GDP nominal 2019 estimate Total 11 386 billion 5 141st Per capita 971 5 163rd Gini 2015 47 8 6 highHDI 2021 0 525 7 low 166thCurrencyWest African CFA franc XOF Time zoneUTC 1 WAT Date formatdd mm yyyyDriving siderightCalling code 229ISO 3166 codeBJInternet TLD bjCotonou is the seat of government From 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 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 France took over the territory in 1894 incorporating it into French West Africa as French Dahomey In 1960 Dahomey gained full independence from France As a sovereign state Benin has had democratic governments military coups and military governments A self described Marxist Leninist state called the People s Republic of Benin existed between 1975 and 1990 In 1991 it was replaced by the multi party Republic of Benin 14 The official language of Benin is French with indigenous languages such as Fon Bariba Yoruba and Dendi also spoken The largest religious group in Benin is Christianity 52 2 followed by Islam 24 6 and traditional faiths 17 9 15 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 Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2 1 Pre colonial 2 2 Colonial 2 3 Post colonial 3 Politics 4 Administrative divisions 5 Demographics 5 1 Religion 5 2 Education 5 3 Health 6 Geography 7 Economy 7 1 Science and technology 7 1 1 National policy framework 7 1 2 Human and financial investment in research 7 1 3 Research output 7 2 Transportation 8 Culture 8 1 Arts 8 2 Customary names 8 3 Language 8 4 Cuisine 8 5 Sports 8 6 Traditional authorities 9 See also 10 References 11 Further reading 12 External linksEtymology EditDuring French colonial rule and after independence on 1 August 1960 the country was named Dahomey after the Kingdom of Dahomey On 30 November 1975 the country was renamed Benin following a Marxist Leninist military coup 16 The Bight of Benin borders the country and the bight takes its name from the Kingdom of Benin located in present day Nigeria History EditMain article History of Benin Pre colonial Edit Map of the Kingdom of Dahomey 1793 Prior to 1600 present day Benin comprised a variety of areas with different political systems and ethnicities These included city states along the coast primarily of the Aja ethnic group and also including Yoruba and Gbe peoples and tribal regions inland composed of Bariba Mahi Gedevi and Kabye peoples The Oyo Empire located primarily to the east of Benin was a military force in the region conducting raids and exacting tribute from the coastal kingdoms and tribal regions 17 The situation changed in the 17th and 18th centuries as the Kingdom of Dahomey consisting mostly of Fon people was founded on the Abomey plateau and began taking over areas along the coast 18 By 1727 King Agaja of the Kingdom of Dahomey had conquered the coastal cities of Allada and Whydah Dahomey had become a tributary of the Oyo Empire and rivaled but did not directly attack the Oyo allied city state of Porto Novo 19 The rise of Dahomey its rivalry with Porto Novo and tribal politics in the northern region persisted into the colonial and post colonial periods 20 In the Dahomey some younger people were apprenticed to older soldiers and taught the kingdom s military customs until they were old enough to join the army 21 Dahomey instituted an elite female soldier corps variously called Ahosi the king s wives Mino our mothers in Fongbe or the Dahomean Amazons This emphasis on military preparation and achievement earned Dahomey the nickname of Black Sparta from European observers and 19th century explorers such as Sir Richard Burton 22 The Portuguese Empire was the longest European presence in Benin beginning in 1680 and ending in 1961 when the last forces left Ajuda The kings of Dahomey sold their war captives into transatlantic slavery 23 or killed them ritually in a ceremony known as the Annual Customs By about 1750 the King of Dahomey was earning an estimated 250 000 per year by selling African captives to European slave traders 24 The area was named the Slave Coast because of a flourishing slave trade Court protocols which demanded that a portion of war captives from the kingdom s battles be decapitated decreased the number of enslaved people exported from the area The number went from 102 000 people per decade in the 1780s to 24 000 per decade by the 1860s 25 The decline was partly due to the Slave Trade Act 1807 banning the trans Atlantic slave trade by Britain in 1808 followed by other countries 24 This decline continued until 1885 when the last slave ship departed the modern Benin Republic for Brazil which had yet to abolish slavery The capital Porto Novo New Port in Portuguese was originally developed as a port for the slave trade Dahomey Amazons with the King at their head going to war 1793 Among the goods the Portuguese sought were carved items of ivory made by Benin s artisans in the form of carved saltcellars spoons and hunting horns pieces of African art produced for sale abroad as exotic objects 26 Colonial Edit See also Second Franco Dahomean War A French depiction of the conquest of Dahomey in 1893 By the middle of the 19th century Dahomey had begun to weaken and lose its status as the regional power The French took over the area in 1892 In 1899 the French included the land called French Dahomey within the larger French West Africa colonial region France sought to benefit from Dahomey and the region appeared to lack the necessary agricultural or mineral resources for large scale capitalist development As a result France treated Dahomey as a sort of preserve in case future discoveries revealed resources worth developing 27 The French government outlawed the capture and sale of slaves Previous slaveowners sought to redefine their control over slaves as control over land tenants and lineage members This provoked a struggle among Dahomeans concentrated in the period from 1895 to 1920 for the redistribution of control over land and labor Villages sought to redefine boundaries of lands and fishing preserves Religious disputes scarcely veiled the factional struggles over control of land and commerce which underlay them Factions struggled for the leadership of great families 25 In 1958 France granted autonomy to the Republic of Dahomey and full independence on 1 August 1960 which is celebrated each year as Independence Day a national holiday 28 The president who led the country to independence was Hubert Maga 29 30 Post colonial Edit After 1960 there were coups and regime changes with the figures of Hubert Maga Sourou Apithy Justin Ahomadegbe and Emile Derlin Zinsou dominating the first 3 each represented a different area and ethnicity of the country These 3 agreed to form a Presidential Council after violence marred the 1970 elections On 7 May 1972 Maga ceded power to Ahomadegbe On 26 October 1972 Lt Col Mathieu Kerekou overthrew the ruling triumvirate becoming president and stating that the country would not burden itself by copying foreign ideology and wants neither Capitalism Communism nor Socialism On 30 November 1974 he announced that the country was officially Marxist under control of the Military Council of the Revolution CMR which nationalized the petroleum industry and banks On 30 November 1975 he renamed the country the People s Republic of Benin 31 32 The regime of the People s Republic of Benin underwent changes over the course of its existence a nationalist period 1972 1974 a socialist phase 1974 1982 and a phase involving an opening to Western countries and economic liberalism 1982 1990 33 In 1974 under the influence of young revolutionaries the Ligueurs the government embarked on a socialist program nationalization of strategic sectors of the economy reform of the education system establishment of agricultural cooperatives and new local government structures and a campaign to eradicate feudal forces including tribalism The regime banned opposition activities Mathieu Kerekou was elected president by the National Revolutionary Assembly in 1980 re elected in 1984 Establishing relations with China North Korea and Libya he put nearly all businesses and economic activities under state control causing foreign investment in Benin to dry up 34 Kerekou attempted to reorganize education pushing his own aphorisms such as Poverty is not a fatality 34 The regime financed itself by contracting to take nuclear waste first from the Soviet Union and later from France 34 In the 1980s Benin experienced higher economic growth rates 15 6 in 1982 4 6 in 1983 and 8 2 in 1984 until the closure of the Nigerian border with Benin led to a drop in customs and tax revenues The government was no longer able to pay civil servants salaries 33 In 1989 riots broke out when the regime did not have enough money to pay its army The banking system collapsed Eventually Kerekou renounced Marxism and a convention forced Kerekou to release political prisoners and arrange elections 34 Marxism Leninism was abolished as the country s form of government 35 The country s name was officially changed to theRepublic of Benin on 1 March 1990 after the newly formed government s constitution was completed 36 Yayi Boni s 2006 presidential inauguration Kerekou lost to Nicephore Soglo in a 1991 election and became the first President on the African mainland to lose power through an election 37 Kerekou returned to power after winning the 1996 vote In 2001 an election resulted in Kerekou winning another term after which his opponents claimed election irregularities 38 In 1999 Kerekou issued a national apology for the substantial role that Africans had played in the Atlantic slave trade 39 Kerekou and former president Soglo did not run in the 2006 elections as both were barred by the constitution s restrictions on age and total terms of candidates 40 On 5 March 2006 an election resulted in a runoff between Yayi Boni and Adrien Houngbedji The runoff election was held on 19 March and was won by Boni 41 who assumed office on 6 April 42 Boni was reelected in 2011 taking 53 18 of the vote in the first round enough to avoid a runoff election He was the first president to win an election without a runoff since the restoration of democracy in 1991 43 In the March 2016 presidential elections in which Boni Yayi was barred by the constitution from running for a third term businessman Patrice Talon won the second round with 65 37 of the vote defeating investment banker and former Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou Talon was sworn in on 6 April 2016 44 Speaking on the same day that the Constitutional Court confirmed the results Talon said that he would first and foremost tackle constitutional reform discussing his plan to limit presidents to a single term of 5 years in order to combat complacency He said that he planned to slash the size of the government from 28 to 16 members 45 In April 2021 President Patrice Talon was re elected with more than 86 3 of the votes cast in Benin s presidential election 46 The change in election laws resulted in total control of parliament by president Talon s supporters 47 In February 2022 Benin saw its largest terrorist attack in history 48 An exhibition of 26 pieces of sacred art was returned to Benin from France 129 years after they were looted by colonial forces in 2022 49 Politics EditMain article Politics of Benin Its politics take place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic in which the President of Benin is both head of state and head of government within a multi party system Executive power is exercised by the government Legislative power is vested in the government and the legislature The judiciary is officially independent of the executive and the legislature while in practice its independence has been gradually hollowed out by Talon and the Constitutional Court is headed by his former personal lawyer 50 The political system is derived from the 1990 Constitution of Benin and the subsequent transition to democracy in 1991 It was ranked 18th out of 52 African countries and scored best in the categories of Safety amp Rule of Law and Participation amp Human Rights 51 In its 2007 Worldwide Press Freedom Index Reporters Without Borders ranked Benin 53rd out of 169 countries That place had fallen to 78th by 2016 when Talon took office and has fallen further to 113th 50 Benin has been rated equal 88th out of 159 countries in a 2005 analysis of police business and political corruption 52 Its democratic system has eroded since President Talon took office 50 In 2018 his government introduced new rules for fielding candidates and raised the cost of registering The electoral commission packed with Talon s allies barred all opposition parties from the parliamentary election in 2019 resulting in a parliament made up entirely of supporters of Talon That parliament subsequently changed election laws such that presidential candidates need to have the approval of at least 10 of Benin s MPs and mayors As parliament and most mayors offices are controlled by Talon he has control over who can run for president These changes have drawn condemnation from international observers and led to the United States government partially terminating development assistance to the country 53 54 55 56 Administrative divisions EditMain articles Departments of Benin and Communes of Benin Departments of Benin Benin is divided into twelve departments French departements which are subdivided into 77 communes In 1999 the previous six departments were each split into 2 halves forming the later twelve 57 Map key Department Capital 58 59 Population 2013 Area km2 60 FormerDepartment Region Sub Region2 Alibori Kandi 868 046 26 242 Borgou North North East1 Atakora Natitingou 769 337 20 499 Atakora North North West10 Atlantique Allada 1 396 548 3 233 Atlantique South South Centre4 Borgou Parakou 1 202 095 25 856 Borgou North North East5 Collines Dassa Zoume 716 558 13 931 Zou South South Centre6 Kouffo Aplahoue 741 895 2 404 Mono South South West3 Donga Djougou 542 605 11 126 Atakora North North West11 Littoral Cotonou 678 874 79 Atlantique South South Centre9 Mono Lokossa 495 307 1 605 Mono South South West12 Oueme Porto Novo 1 096 850 1 281 Oueme South South East8 Plateau Pobe 624 146 3 264 Oueme South South East7 Zou Abomey 851 623 5 243 Zou South South CentreDemographics EditEthnic Groups of Benin 2013 Census Fon 38 4 Adja amp Mina 15 1 Yoruba 12 Bariba 9 6 Fula 8 6 Ottamari 6 1 Yoa Lokpa 4 3 Dendi 2 9 Other 2 8 Children Main articles Demographics of Benin and Languages of Benin The majority of Benin s 11 485 000 inhabitants live in the south of the country The life expectancy is 62 years 61 About 42 African ethnic groups live in this country including the Yoruba in the southeast migrated from Nigeria in the 12th century the Dendi in the north central area who came from Mali in the 16th century the Bariba and the Fula in the northeast the Betammaribe and the Somba in the Atakora Mountains the Fon in the area around Abomey in the South Central and the Mina Xueda and Aja who came from Togo on the coast 62 Migrations have brought other African nationals to Benin that include Nigerians Togolese and Malians 63 The foreign community includes Lebanese and Indians involved in trade and commerce 63 The personnel of European embassies and foreign aid missions and of nongovernmental organisations and missionary groups account for a part of the 5 500 European population 62 A part of the European population consists of Beninese citizens of French ancestry citation needed Historical populationYear195020002021Population 11 12 2 200 0006 800 00013 000 000 209 1 91 2 Largest cities or towns in Benin According to the 2013 Census 64 Rank Name Department Pop Cotonou Porto Novo 1 Cotonou Littoral 679 0122 Porto Novo Oueme 264 3203 Parakou Borgou 255 4784 Godomey Atlantique 253 2625 Abomey Calavi Atlantique 117 8246 Djougou Donga 94 7737 Bohicon Zou 93 7448 Ekpe Oueme 75 3139 Abomey Zou 67 88510 Nikki Borgou 66 109 Religion Edit Religion in Benin 2013 CIA World Factbook estimate 65 Christianity 48 5 Islam 27 7 Others None 12 2 Vodun 11 6 A Celestial Church of Christ baptism in Cotonou 5 of Benin s population belongs to this denomination an African Initiated Church Main article Religion in Benin The two largest religions are Christianity followed throughout the south and center of Benin and in Otammari country in the Atakora and Islam introduced by the Songhai Empire and Hausa merchants and followed throughout Alibori Borgou and Donga provinces and among the Yoruba who also follow Christianity Some continue to hold Vodun and Orisha beliefs and have incorporated the pantheon of Vodun and Orisha into Christianity The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community a Muslim sect originating in the 19th century has a presence in the country In the 2013 census 48 5 of the population of Benin were Christian 25 5 Roman Catholic 6 7 Celestial Church of Christ 3 4 Methodist 12 9 other Christian denominations 27 7 were Muslim 11 6 practiced Vodun 2 6 practiced other local traditional religions 2 6 practiced other religions and 5 8 claimed no religious affiliation 1 66 A government survey conducted by the Demographic and Health Surveys Program in 2011 2012 indicated that followers of Christianity were 57 5 of the population with Catholics making up 33 9 Methodists 3 0 Celestials 6 2 and other Christians 14 5 while Muslims were 22 8 67 Traditional religions include local animistic religions in the Atakora Atakora and Donga provinces and Vodun and Orisha veneration among the Yoruba and Tado peoples in the center and south of the nation The town of Ouidah on the central coast is the spiritual center of Beninese Vodun Education Edit Students Main article Education in Benin The literacy rate in 2015 it was estimated to be 38 4 49 9 for males and 27 3 for females 61 Benin has achieved universal primary education and half of the children 54 were enrolled in secondary education in 2013 according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics While at a time the education system was not free 68 Benin has abolished school fees and is carrying out the recommendations of its 2007 Educational Forum 69 The government has devoted more than 4 of GDP to education since 2009 In 2015 public expenditure on education all levels amounted to 4 4 of GDP according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics Within this expenditure Benin devoted a share to tertiary education 0 97 of GDP 70 Between 2009 and 2011 the share of people enrolled at university rose from 10 to 12 of the 18 25 year age cohort Student enrollment in tertiary education more than doubled between 2006 and 2011 from 50 225 to 110 181 These statistics encompass not only bachelor s master s and Ph D programmes but also students enrolled in nondegree post secondary diplomas 70 Health Edit Main article Health in Benin See also HIV AIDS in Benin The HIV AIDS rate in Benin was estimated in 2013 at 1 13 of adults aged 15 49 years 71 Malaria is a problem in Benin being a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children younger than 5 years 72 During the 1980s less than 30 of the country s population had access to primary health care services Benin s infant mortality rate stood at 203 deaths for every 1000 live births 1 in 3 mothers had access to child health care services The Bamako Initiative changed that by introducing community based healthcare reform resulting in more efficient and equitable provision of services 73 As of 2015 update Benin had the 26th highest rate of maternal mortality in the world 74 According to a 2013 UNICEF report 13 of women had undergone female genital mutilation 75 An approach strategy was extended to all areas of healthcare with subsequent improvement in the health care indicators and improvement in health care efficiency and cost 76 Demographic and Health Surveys has surveyed the issue in Benin since 1996 77 better source needed Geography EditMain article Geography of Benin Map of Koppen climate classification The north south strip of land in West Africa lies between latitudes 6 and 13 N and longitudes 0 and 4 E It is bounded by Togo to the west Burkina Faso and Niger to the north Nigeria to the east and the Bight of Benin to the south The distance from the Niger River in the north to the Atlantic Ocean in the south is about 650 km 404 mi Although the coastline measures 121 km 75 mi the country measures about 325 km 202 mi at its widest point 4 terrestrial ecoregions lie within Benin s borders Eastern Guinean forests Nigerian lowland forests Guinean forest savanna mosaic and West Sudanian savanna 78 It had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 5 86 10 ranking it 93rd globally out of 172 countries 79 Atakora 1 of Benin s 2 northernmost departments The Pendjari National Park is a reserve for the West African lion and other large animals of West Africa Benin shows some variation in elevation and can be divided into 4 areas from the south to the north starting with the lower lying sandy coastal plain highest elevation 10 m 32 8 ft which is at most 10 km 6 2 mi wide It is marshy and dotted with lakes and lagoons communicating with the ocean Behind the coast lies the Guinean forest savanna mosaic covered plateaus of southern Benin altitude between 20 and 200 m 66 and 656 ft which are split by valleys running north to south along the Couffo Zou and Oueme Rivers This geography makes it vulnerable to climate change With the majority of the country living near the coast in lower lying areas sea level rise could have effects on the economy and population 80 Northern areas will see additional regions become deserts 81 An area of flatter land dotted with rocky hills whose altitude reaches 400 m 1 312 ft extends around Nikki and Save A range of mountains extends along the northwest border and into Togo these are the Atacora The highest point Mont Sokbaro is at 658 m 2 159 ft Benin has fields mangroves and remnants of forests In the rest of the country the savanna is covered with thorny scrub and dotted with baobab trees Some forests line the banks of rivers In the north and the northwest of Benin the Reserve du W du Niger and Pendjari National Park has elephants lions antelopes hippos and monkeys 62 verification needed Pendjari National Park together with the bordering Parks Arli and W in Burkina Faso and Niger are among the strongholds for the endangered West African lion With an estimated 356 range 246 466 lions W Arli Pendjari harbors the largest remaining population of lions in West Africa 82 Historically Benin has served as habitat for the endangered painted hunting dog Lycaon pictus 83 this canid is thought to have been locally extirpated Annual rainfall in the coastal area averages 1300 mm or about 51 inches Benin has 2 rainy and 2 dry seasons per year The principal rainy season is from April to late July with a shorter less intense rainy period from September to November The main dry season is from December to April with a cooler dry season from July to September Temperatures and humidity are higher along the tropical coast In Cotonou the average maximum temperature is 31 C 87 8 F the minimum is 24 C 75 2 F 62 Variations in temperature increase when moving north through savanna and plateau toward the Sahel A dry wind from the Sahara called the Harmattan blows from December to March when grass dries up other vegetation turns reddish brown and a veil of fine dust hangs over the country causing the skies to be overcast It is also the season when farmers burn brush in the fields 62 Economy EditMain article Economy of Benin A proportional representation of Benin exports 2019 Extensive agriculture in the north of Benin near Djougou Real GDP per capita development of Benin since 1950 The economy is dependent on subsistence agriculture cotton production and regional trade Cotton accounts for 40 of the GDP and roughly 80 of official export receipts 84 Real GDP growth was estimated at 5 1 and 5 7 in 2008 and 2009 respectively The main driver of growth is the agricultural sector with cotton being the main export while services continue to contribute the largest part of GDP mostly because of Benin s geographical location enabling trade transportation transit and tourism activities with its neighboring states 85 Benin s overall macroeconomic conditions were positive in 2017 with a growth rate of around 5 6 Economic growth was mostly driven by the cotton industry and other cash crops the Port of Cotonou and telecommunications A source of revenue is the Port of Cotonou and the government is seeking to expand its revenue base In 2017 Benin imported about 2 8 billion in goods such as rice meat and poultry alcoholic beverages fuel plastic materials specialized mining and excavating machinery telecommunications equipment passenger vehicles and toiletries and cosmetics Principal exports are ginned cotton cotton cake and cotton seeds cashew shea butter cooking oil and lumber 86 Access to biocapacity is lower than world average In 2016 Benin had 0 9 global hectares 87 of biocapacity per person within its territory less than the world average of 1 6 global hectares per person 88 In 2016 Benin used 1 4 global hectares of biocapacity per person their ecological footprint of consumption This means they use slightly under double as much biocapacity as Benin contains As a result Benin is running a biocapacity deficit 87 Cotton field in northern Benin In order to raise growth still further Benin plans to attract more foreign investment place more emphasis on tourism facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products and encourage new information and communication technology Projects to improve the business climate by reforms to the land tenure system the commercial justice system and the financial sector were included in Benin s US 307 million Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006 89 The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation with Benin benefiting from a G8 debt reduction announced in July 2005 while pressing for more rapid structural reforms An insufficient electrical supply continues to adversely affect Benin s economic growth and the government has taken steps to increase domestic power production 61 While trade unions in Benin represent up to 75 of the formal workforce the informal economy has been noted by the International Trade Union Confederation ITCU to contain ongoing problems including a lack of women s wage equality the use of child labor and the continuing issue of forced labor 90 Benin is a member of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa OHADA 91 Cotonou has the country s only seaport and international airport Benin is connected by 2 lane asphalted roads to its neighboring countries Togo Burkina Faso Niger and Nigeria Mobile telephone service is available across the country through operators ADSL connections are available in some areas Benin is connected to the Internet by way of satellite connections since 1998 and a single submarine cable SAT 3 WASC since 2001 Relief of high price is expected with the initiation of the Africa Coast to Europe cable in 2011 With the GDP growth rate of 4 5 remaining consistent over 2 decades poverty has been increasing 92 According to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Analysis in Benin those living under the poverty line have increased from 36 2 in 2011 to 40 1 in 2015 93 Science and technology Edit Main article Science and technology in Benin National policy framework Edit The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is responsible for implementing science policy The National Directorate of Scientific and Technological Research handles planning and coordination whereas the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research and National Academy of Sciences Arts and Letters each play an advisory role Financial support comes from Benin s National Fund for Scientific Research and Technological Innovation The Benin Agency for the Promotion of Research Results and Technological Innovation carries out technology transfer through the development and dissemination of research results 70 Benin was ranked 128th in the Global Innovation Index in 2021 down from 123rd in 2019 94 95 96 97 The regulatory framework has evolved since 2006 when the a science policy was prepared This has been updated and complemented by new texts on science and innovation the year of adoption is between brackets 70 a manual for monitoring and evaluating research structures and organizations 2013 a manual on how to select research programmes and projects and apply to the National Fund for Scientific Research and Technological Innovation 2013 for competitive grants a draft act for funding scientific research and innovation and a draft code of ethics for scientific research and innovation were both submitted to the Supreme Court in 2014 a strategic plan for scientific research and innovation under development in 2015 Equally important are Benin s efforts to integrate science into existing policy documents Benin Development Strategies 2025 Benin 2025 Alafia 2000 Growth Strategy for Poverty Reduction 2011 2016 2011 Phase 3 of the Ten year Development Plan for the Education Sector covering 2013 2015 Development Plan for Higher Education and Scientific Research 2013 2017 2014 In 2015 Benin s priority areas for scientific research were health education construction and building materials transportation and trade culture tourism and handicrafts cotton textiles food energy and climate change 70 Some so called challenges facing research and development in Benin are 70 the unfavorable organizational framework for research weak governance a lack of co operation between research structures and the absence of an official document on the status of researchers the inadequate use of human resources and the lack of any motivational policy for researchers and the mismatch between research and development needs Human and financial investment in research Edit In 2007 Benin counted 1 000 researchers in headcounts This corresponds to 115 researchers per million inhabitants The main research structures are the Centre for Scientific and Technical Research National Institute of Agricultural Research National Institute for Training and Research in Education Office of Geological and Mining Research and the Centre for Entomological Research 70 The University of Abomey Calavi was selected by the World Bank in 2014 to participate in its Centres of Excellence project owing to its expertise in applied mathematics Within this project the World Bank has loaned 8 million to Benin The Association of African Universities has received funds to enable it to co ordinate knowledge sharing among the 19 universities in West Africa involved in the project 70 There are no available data on Benin s level of investment in research and development 70 In 2013 the government devoted 2 5 of GDP to public health In December 2014 150 volunteer health professionals travelled to Guinea Liberia and Sierra Leone from Benin Cote d Ivoire Ghana Mali Niger and Nigeria as part of a joint initiative by the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS and its specialized agency the West African Health Organisation to help combat the epidemic The Ebola epidemic has been a reminder of the underinvestment in West African health systems 70 The Government of Benin devoted less than 5 of GDP to agricultural development in 2010 while the members of the African Union had agreed to commit at least 10 of GDP to this area in the Maputo Declaration of 2003 They reiterated this goal in the Malabo Declaration adopted in Equatorial Guinea in 2014 In the latter declaration they reaffirmed their intention to devote 10 of their national budgets to agricultural development and agreed to targets such as doubling agricultural productivity halving post harvest loss and bringing stunting down to 10 across Africa African leaders meeting in Equatorial Guinea failed to resolve the debate on establishing a common standard of measurement for the 10 target 98 Research output Edit Benin has the third highest publication intensity for scientific journals in West Africa according to Thomson Reuters Web of Science Science Citation Index Expanded There were 25 5 scientific articles per million inhabitants cataloged in this database in 2014 This compares with 65 0 for the Gambia 49 6 for Cape Verde 23 2 for Senegal and 21 9 for Ghana The volume of publications in this database tripled in Benin between 2005 and 2014 from 86 to 270 Between 2008 and 2014 Benin s main scientific collaborators were based in France 529 articles United States 261 United Kingdom 254 Belgium 198 and Germany 156 70 Transportation Edit Main article Transport in Benin Transport in Benin includes road rail water and air transportation Benin possesses a total of 6 787 km of highway of which 1 357 km are paved Of the paved highways in the country there are 10 expressways This leaves 5 430 km of unpaved road The Trans West African Coastal Highway crosses Benin connecting it to Nigeria to the east and Togo Ghana and Ivory Coast to the west When construction in Liberia and Sierra Leone is finished the highway will continue west to 7 other Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS nations A paved highway connects Benin northwards to Niger and through that country to Burkina Faso and Mali to the north west Rail transport in Benin consists of 578 km 359 mi of single track 1 000 mm 3 ft 3 3 8 in metre gauge railway Construction work has commenced on international lines connecting Benin with Niger and Nigeria with outline plans announced for further connections to Togo and Burkina Faso Benin will be a participant in the AfricaRail project Cadjehoun Airport located at Cotonou has direct international jet service to Accra Niamey Monrovia Lagos Ouagadougou Lome and Douala and other cities in Africa Direct services link Cotonou to Paris Brussels and Istanbul Culture Edit Palais Des Congres in Cotonou Arts Edit This section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Benin news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message See also Benin literature Music of Benin and Cinema of Benin Music group Beninese literature had an oral tradition before French became the dominant language 99 Felix Couchoro wrote the first Beninese novel L Esclave The Slave in 1929 Post independence native folk music was combined with Ghanaian highlife French cabaret American rock funk and soul and Congolese rumba Biennale Benin continuing the projects of some organizations and artists started in the country in 2010 as a collaborative event called Regard Benin In 2012 the project became a Biennial coordinated by the Consortium a federation of local associations The international exhibition and artistic program of the 2012 Biennale Benin are curated by Abdellah Karroum and the Curatorial Delegation Customary names Edit Some Beninese in the south of the country have Akan based names indicating the day of the week on which they were born This is due to influence of the Akan people such as the Akwamu and others 100 Language Edit Main article Languages of Benin Local languages are used as the languages of instruction in elementary schools with French introduced after years At the secondary school level French is the sole language of instruction Beninese languages are generally transcribed with a separate letter for each speech sound phoneme rather than using diacritics as in French or digraphs as in English This includes Beninese Yoruba which in Nigeria is written with both diacritics and digraphs For instance the mid vowels written e e o o in French are written e ɛ o ɔ in Beninese languages whereas the consonants are written ng and sh or ch in English are written ŋ and c Digraphs are used for nasal vowels and the labial velar consonants kp and gb as in the name of the Fon language Fon gbe fo ɡ be and diacritics are used as tone marks In French language publications a mixture of French and Beninese orthographies may be seen Cuisine Edit Acaraje is peeled black eyed peas formed into a ball and then deep fried Main article Benin cuisine The cuisine involves fresh meals served with a variety of key sauces In southern Benin cuisine an ingredient is corn which has been used to prepare dough which has been served with peanut or tomato based sauces Fish and chicken beef goat and bush rat are consumed A staple in northern Benin is yams which has been served with sauces mentioned above The population in the northern provinces use beef and pork meat which is fried in palm or peanut oil or cooked in sauces Cheese is used in some dishes Couscous rice and beans are eaten along with fruits such as mangoes oranges avocados bananas kiwi fruit and pineapples Meals are said to be generally light on meat and generous on vegetable fat Frying in palm or peanut oil is a meat preparation and smoked fish is prepared in Benin Grinders are used to prepare corn flour which is made into a dough and served with sauces Chicken on the spit is a recipe in which chicken is roasted over a fire on wooden sticks Palm roots are sometimes soaked in a jar with salt water and sliced garlic to tenderize them then used in dishes Some people have outdoor mud stoves for cooking Sports Edit The major sports in Benin are Association football Basketball Golf Cycling Baseball Softball Tennis and Rugby union 101 In the 21st century Baseball was introduced to the country 102 Traditional authorities Edit Benin has numerous non sovereign monarchies within the country many of them derivative of pre colonial kingdoms such as Arda Non sovereign monarchs do not have an official constitutional role and are largely ceremonial and subservient to political and civil authorities Despite this they play an influential role in local political matters within their particular realms and are often courted by Beninese politicians for electoral support Advocacy groups such as the High Council of Kings of Benin represent the monarchs nationally 103 104 See also Edit Africa portalIndex of Benin related articles Outline of Benin Telephone numbers in BeninReferences Edit a b PRINCIPAUX INDICATEURS SOCIO DEMOGRAPHIQUES ET ECONOMIQUES PDF www insae bj org in French INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA STATISTIQUE ET DE L ANALYSE ECONOMIQUE Archived PDF from the original on 18 September 2020 Retrieved 14 December 2019 Religions in Benin PEW GRF Archived from the original on 17 October 2021 Retrieved 17 April 2021 a b Annuaire statistique 2010 PDF Report in French INSAE 2012 p 49 Archived PDF from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 17 December 2015 Benin The World Factbook 2023 ed Central Intelligence Agency Retrieved 24 September 2022 a b c d World Economic Outlook Database October 2018 IMF org International Monetary Fund Archived from the original on 12 June 2020 Retrieved 1 February 2019 GINI index World Bank estimate databank worldbank org World Bank Archived from the original on 4 September 2022 Retrieved 1 February 2019 Human Development Report 2021 2022 PDF United Nations Development Programme 8 September 2022 Retrieved 18 January 2023 Jones Daniel 2011 Roach Peter Setter Jane Esling John eds Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary 18th ed Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 15255 6 Dahomey Announces Its Name Will Be Benin The New York Times 1 December 1975 ISSN 0362 4331 Archived from the original on 16 September 2020 Retrieved 16 September 2020 Hughes R H Hughes J S 1992 A Directory of African Wetlands IUCN p 301 ISBN 978 2 88032 949 5 Archived from the original on 8 May 2016 Retrieved 12 October 2015 a b World Population Prospects 2022 population un org United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division Retrieved 17 July 2022 a b World Population Prospects 2022 Demographic indicators by region subregion and country annually for 1950 2100 XSLX population un org Total Population as of 1 July thousands United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division Retrieved 17 July 2022 FAO Initiative on Soaring Food Prices Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Archived from the original on 24 October 2012 Retrieved 29 June 2010 Global Logistics Assessments Reports Handbook Vol 1 Strategic Transportation and Customs Information for Selected Countries International Business Publications USA 2008 2015 10 06 p 85 ISBN 978 0739766033 Religions in Benin PEW GRF Archived from the original on 17 October 2021 Retrieved 17 April 2021 Dahomey Announces Its Name Will Be Benin The New York Times 1 December 1975 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 16 September 2020 Bay Edna 1998 Wives of the Leopard Gender Politics and Culture in the Kingdom of Dahomey University of Virginia Press Akinjogbin I A 1967 Dahomey and Its Neighbors 1708 1818 Cambridge University Press OCLC 469476592 Law Robin 1986 Dahomey and the Slave Trade Reflections on the Historiography of the Rise of Dahomey The Journal of African History 27 2 237 267 doi 10 1017 s0021853700036665 S2CID 165754199 Creevey Lucy Ngomo Paul Vengroff Richard 2005 Party Politics and Different Paths to Democratic Transitions A Comparison of Benin and Senegal Party Politics 11 4 471 493 doi 10 1177 1354068805053213 S2CID 145169455 Archived from the original on 2 December 2020 Retrieved 20 April 2018 Harms Robert W 2002 The Diligent A Voyage Through the Worlds of the Slave Trade Basic Books p 172 ISBN 978 0 465 02872 6 Archived from the original on 9 May 2016 Retrieved 12 October 2015 Alpern Stanley B 1998 Amazons of Black Sparta The Women Warriors of Dahomey C Hurst amp Co Publishers p 37 ISBN 978 1 85065 362 2 Archived from the original on 6 May 2016 Retrieved 12 October 2015 Miller David Lee 10 July 2003 African Ambassador Apologizes for Slavery Role Fox News Archived from the original on 22 May 2010 a b African Slave Owners The story of South Africa Slavery BBC World Service Archived from the original on 8 March 2013 a b Manning Patrick 1982 Slavery Colonialism and Economic Growth in Dahomey 1640 1960 London Cambridge University Press pp 15 16 This ivory relic reveals the colonial power dynamic between Benin and Portugal History Magazine National Geographic 09 02 2021 National Geographic Society Archived from the original on 9 February 2021 Retrieved 9 February 2021 Manning Patrick 1982 Slavery Colonialism and Economic Growth in Dahomey 1640 1960 Cambridge University Press p 15 ISBN 9780511563072 President Sirleaf congratulates Benin on 57th Independence Anniversary Agence de Presse Africane 31 July 2017 Archived from the original on 30 July 2018 Retrieved 30 July 2018 Stokes Jamie ed 2009 Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and the Middle East L to Z Infobase Publishing p 229 ISBN 978 0 8160 7158 6 Archived from the original on 3 May 2016 Retrieved 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president aims to reduce presidential terms Reuters 26 March 2016 Archived from the original on 3 May 2016 Retrieved 1 May 2016 Benin s president wins re election in preliminary results ABC News Archived from the original on 14 April 2021 Retrieved 14 April 2021 Benin vote count begins after opposition groups boycott election www aljazeera com Archived from the original on 19 April 2021 Retrieved 19 April 2021 Five rangers soldier killed in attack in Benin park management says news yahoo com Retrieved 16 February 2022 1 a b c Benin s democratic beacon dims The Economist Archived from the original on 12 April 2021 Retrieved 12 April 2021 2014 Ibrahim Index of African Governance IIAG Mo Ibrahim Foundation 2014 Archived from the original on 30 May 2013 Retrieved 16 April 2015 Countries Compared by Government Government corruption rating International Statistics at NationMaster com nationmaster com Archived from the original on 8 February 2011 Retrieved 13 February 2011 Benin Freedom in the World 2021 Country Report Freedom House Archived from the original on 16 December 2021 Retrieved 16 December 2021 Press Release MCC s Board Selects Belize Zambia for Grant Assistance Millennium Challenge Corporation Archived from the original on 15 December 2021 Retrieved 16 December 2021 However due to Benin s overall multi year decline in its commitment to MCC s eligibility criteria and the principles of democratic governance the Board discussed and endorsed MCC s determination to significantly reduce the portion of the planned regional investment that would be made in Benin through a concurrent compact Recul de la democratie les Etats Unis sanctionnent le Benin a travers le MCC La Nouvelle Tribune in French 16 December 2021 Archived from the original on 16 December 2021 Retrieved 16 December 2021 Hirschel Burns Tim Benin s King of Cotton Makes Its Democracy a Sham Foreign Policy Archived from the original on 16 December 2021 Retrieved 16 December 2021 Statoids Benin archived 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Transformation ONE org 2 July 2014 Archived from the original on 10 October 2017 Retrieved 12 June 2017 Benin Archived from the original on 13 August 2011 Retrieved 30 July 2007 Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica 2000 Akwamu historical state Africa Archived copy Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Archived from the original on 29 April 2022 Retrieved 27 August 2022 a href Template Cite encyclopedia html title Template Cite encyclopedia cite encyclopedia a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Sports in Benin Mozey Brian 22 June 2016 Duo develops nonprofit organization Baseball in Benin Minnesota Sun Post APG of East Central Minnesota Archived from the original on 5 August 2016 Retrieved 27 August 2022 Research Directorate 4 May 2016 Benin Kings in northern Benin specifically in Borgou department extent of their power in comparison with the power of political and civil authorities a king s ability to force a woman to marry him remedies available to a woman who refuses to marry a king 2014 April 2016 Response to Information Request Ottawa Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada BEN105509 FE Archived from the original on 6 May 2021 Retrieved 27 August 2022 via European Country of Origin Information Network Monde Haiti veut punir les crimes vaudous comme au Benin Anmwe News in French Archived from the original on 27 August 2022 Retrieved 27 August 2022 This article incorporates text from a free content work Licensed under CC BY SA IGO 3 0 Text taken from UNESCO Science Report towards 2030 471 497 UNESCO UNESCO Publishing To learn how to add open license text to Wikipedia articles please see this how to page For information on reusing text from Wikipedia please see the terms of use Further reading EditButler S Benin Bradt Travel Guides Bradt Travel Guides 2019 Caulfield Annie Show Me the Magic Travels Round Benin by Taxi Penguin Books Ltd 2003 Kraus Erika and Reid Felice Benin Other Places Travel Guide Other Places Publishing 2010 Seely Jennifer The Legacies of Transition Governments in Africa The Cases of Benin and Togo Palgrave Macmillan 2009 External links EditBenin at Wikipedia s sister projects Definitions from Wiktionary Media from Commons News from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Resources from Wikiversity Travel information from Wikivoyage Country Profile from BBC News Benin The World Factbook Central Intelligence Agency Benin from UCB Libraries GovPubs BBC Civilisations BBC Two Western reactions to Benin bronzes on YouTube Apr 10 2018 Benin at Curlie commons Atlas of Benin Benin Exports Forecasts for Benin DevelopmentGovernment Government of Benin official website in French Chief of State and Cabinet Members Global Integrity Report Benin permanent dead link News media Directory of Benin news sources from Stanford UniversityTrade World Bank Benin 2010 Summary Trade StatisticsSports Baseball Archived 5 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine 6 28 N 2 36 E 6 467 N 2 600 E 6 467 2 600 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Benin amp oldid 1160304934, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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