Benin

Benin

area:	112,620sq km (43,483sq mi)
population:	6,395,919
capital (population):	Porto-Novo (179,938)
government:	Multiparty republic
ethnic groups:	Fon, Adja, Bariba, Yoruba, Fulani, Somba
languages:	French (official)
religions:	Traditional beliefs 60%, Christianity 23%, Islam 15%
currency:	CFA franc = 100 centimes

Republic in w Africa. Benin is one of Africa's smallest countries, extending n–s for only c.620km (390mi). Yet is also one of the most heavily populated parts of West Africa. Its Atlantic coastline, 100km (62mi) long, is fringed with lagoons. Benin has no natural harbour. The capital Porto-Novo lies on the e shore of a large lagoon and Cotonou, Benin's main port and biggest city, lies on its n shore and has a man-made harbour.

Climate and Vegetation

Benin has a hot, wet climate, with an average annual temperature on the coast of c.25°C (77°F) and an average rainfall 1330mm (52in). The inland plains are wetter, but rainfall decreases to the n. Adjacent to the coast, a flat plain gives way to the wide Lama marsh. Central Benin consists of low plateaux, rising most steeply to the forests in the nw. Northern Benin is savanna and has two national parks, the Penjari and the “W” (the latter shared with its neighbours Burkina Faso and Niger). The parks are home to water buffalo, elephants, and lions

History and Politics

The ancient kingdom of Dahomey had its capital at Abomey, in modern s Benin. In the 17th century, the Kings of Dahomey became involved in the lucrative slave trade, and by 1700 more than 200,000 slaves were being annually transported from the ‘slave coast’. The Portuguese shipped many Dahomeans to Brazil and, despite the abolition of slavery, the trade persisted well into the 19th century.

In 1892 the French established a protectorate in Dahomey, and in 1904 the colony became part of the giant federation of French West Africa. The French developed the country's infrastructure and institutions. In 1958 Dahomey achieved self-governing status within the French Community. In 1960 it achieved full independence.

The new nation faced major economic and social difficulties, and the military seized power in 1963. In 1972 a power-sharing arrangement between n and s Benin collapsed and the army, led by General Mathieu Kérékou, again intervened. In 1975 Dahomey became the People's Republic of Benin. Adopting Marxism-Leninism as the state ideology, Kérékou forged alliances with European communists. In 1989 Benin abandoned communism, and Kérékou was defeated at multi-party elections in 1991. He returned to power at elections in 1996 and 2001.

Economy

Benin is a poor, developing country (2000 GDP per capita, US$1030) and c.70% of the workforce is engaged in agriculture, mainly at subsistence level. Major food crops include beans, cassava, maize, millet, rice, sorghum, and yams, while the chief cash crops are cotton, palm products, groundnuts, and coffee. Forestry is an important activity. Benin also produces oil, but there is little manufacturing. In 1994 the IMF approved a loan of US$72.6 million to help implement economic reforms.

Political map

Physical map

Websites

http://www.afrika.no/index/Countries/Benin/index.html; http://www.benintourism.com