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Benin
Benin, Republic of
Benin, Republic of A West African country lying between Togo and Nigeria on the Gulf of Guinea.
Physical
Benin has a southern coastline of only 125 km (78 miles) but extends inland for 700 km (460 miles) to Niger. The coast is sandy with large lagoons and is hot and wet. Inland there is a fertile clay plain with thick tropical forest that rises to a sandy plateau with savannah vegetation. In the north the land falls away to the middle Niger River valley.
Economy
Benin has an agricultural economy, with exports of cocoa, cotton, and palm products. There is some light industry, which includes food-processing, brewing, and palm-oil processing. There are mineral deposits of offshore oil, chromium, and phosphates; oil production began in 1982, but has disappointed expectations.
History
Formerly known as Dahomey, this region was ruled by kings of Yoruba origin until the French occupied it in 1892. It was constituted a territory of French West Africa in 1904. As Dahomey, it became an independent republic within the
FRENCH COMMUNITY in 1960, after which periods of civilian government alternated with military rule. In 1972 it was declared a Marxist-Leninist state, and its name was altered (1975) to Benin. Under the leadership of Mathieu Kérékou (President 1972–91), Benin achieved greater domestic stability and international standing. In the country's first free elections, held in 1991, Kérékou was defeated by his Prime Minister Nicéphore Soglo, whose government moved towards a free-market economy with the support of the IMF. Legislative elections in 1995 were contested by 31 political parties and a coalition government was formed. However, presidential elections held in 1996 saw a surprise victory for the former dictator Kérékou.
Capital: | Porto Novo |
Area: | 112,600 sq km (43,450 sq miles) |
Population: | 6,101,000 (1998 est) |
Currency: | 1 CFA franc = 100 centimes |
Religions: | Traditional beliefs 61.4%;Roman Catholic 18.5%; Muslim 15.2%; Protestant 2.8% |
Ethnic Groups: | Fon-Ewe 55.5%; Bargu 22.5%; Yoruba 13.6% |
Languages: | French (official); Fon-Ewe; Bargu; Yoruba |
International Organizations: | UN; OAU; Non-Aligned Movement; ECOWAS; Franc Zone |
Cite this article
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Benin -- IMF and World Bank support US$460 million in debt service relief.
M2 Presswire; 3/25/2003; 700+ words
; ...PRESSWIRE-25 March 2003-WORLD BANK: Benin -- IMF and World Bank support US$460...Association (IDA) agreed this week that Benin has taken the steps necessary to reach...the enhanced HIPC Initiative from all of Benin's creditors will amount to approximately...
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Benin--Kings and Rituals: court arts from Nigeria.(exhibition preview)
Magazine article from: African Arts; 12/22/2007; ; 700+ words
; ...illustrations). [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] Benin-Kings and Rituals" brings together 300...overview of the art and culture of the Benin kingdom (Fig. 1). For the first time...Nigeria to discuss the latest research on Benin art and culture. As early as 1932, Charles...
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Benin hopes new festival will highlight proud West African past
News Wire article from: AP Worldstream; 12/17/2003; ; 700+ words
; ...Worldstream 12-17-2003 Dateline: ABOMEY, Benin Women in swirling white robes twirl and...once-proud African empire whose glory Benin is celebrating for the first time, hoping...Porto Novo, capital of tiny, impoverished Benin. Abomey Mayor Blaise Ahanhanzo Glele said...
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Benin - Telecoms Market Overview, Statistics & Forecasts.
M2 Presswire; 6/18/2009; 700+ words
; ...PRESSWIRE-18 June 2009-Research and Markets: Benin - Telecoms Market Overview, Statistics...researchandmarkets.com/research/506259/benin_telecoms_m) has announced the addition of the "Benin - Telecoms Market Overview, Statistics...
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 "The Sunday Independent (South Africa)")
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Benin silences MTN service over fee brawl.(Business Report Weekend)
Newspaper article from: The Sunday Independent (South Africa); 7/15/2007; 700+ words
; ...setback this week when its operations in Benin were suspended by the government after...additional licence fees. Late on Thursday Benin's telecommunications regulator silenced...change of trading name as claimed by Telecel Benin and Spacetel Benin. MTN said it would...
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Benin: Glorious Treasures
Magazine article from: New African; 12/1/2007; ; 700+ words
; Benin Glorious Treasures Last month, an extraordinary exhibition opened in Paris. Entitled "Benin - Five Centuries of Royal Art and running...antiquities originating from the City of Benin. It has also awakened the debate surrounding...
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Benin Kings and Rituals: Court Arts from Nigeria.(Critical essay)
Magazine article from: African Arts; 3/22/2008; ; 700+ words
; Benin Kings and Rituals: Court Arts from Nigeria...bibliography. 49 [euro] (paper). Benin Kings and Rituals: Court Arts from Nigeria...contributions from an all-star cast of scholars of Benin art and history from three continents, accompanies...
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Benin's Democracy Entrenching as Second Election Nears
Transcript from: NPR All Things Considered; 3/2/1996; 700+ words
; ...conference six years ago, the African nation of Benin held its first multi-party presidential...Africa. Another is the tiny nation of Benin, population less than six million squeezed...As NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports, Benin will hold its second democratic-style...
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 "The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY)")
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BENIN EDUCATION MINISTER MAKES STOP AT HENNINGER.(Local)
Newspaper article from: The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY); 9/30/2005; 700+ words
; ...government minister from the Republic of Benin, plus entourage, filed into their classroom...goal of establishing such a program in Benin. Henninger is one of the****Oswego training sites. The Benin-Oswego link is Alfred Frederick, of...
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STATE DEPT.: BENIN, U.S. SIGN MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE COMPACT
News Wire article from: US Fed News Service, Including US State News; 2/23/2006; 700+ words
; ...Corporation (MCC) and the government of Benin February 22 signed a $307 million, five...that is expected to benefit up to half of Benin's population and lift an estimated 250...honoring the leadership and the people of Benin and all that they have accomplished in...
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Benin
Encyclopedia entry from: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Physical Geography
Benin Official name: Republic of Benin Area: 112,620 square kilometers (43,483 square miles) Highest...1 LOCATION AND SIZE Formerly a French colony known as Dahomey, Benin is a small country on the coast of West Africa, between Togo and...
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Benin, Kingdom of
Book article from: A Dictionary of World History
Benin, Kingdom of West African kingdom based on Benin City, now in southern Nigeria, probably founded in about...arrived on the coast in 1472, did not establish control over Benin. The kingdom expanded further in the 16th century but by...
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Benin, Republic of
Book article from: A Dictionary of World History
Benin, Republic of A West African country lying...Nigeria on the Gulf of Guinea. Physical Benin has a southern coastline of only 125 km...to the middle Niger River valley. Economy Benin has an agricultural economy, with exports...
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Bight of Benin
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
Bight of Benin northern arm of the Gulf of Guinea, c.550 mi (885 km) wide, W Africa, between Cape Three Points, S Ghana, and the Niger...
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Beninese
Encyclopedia entry from: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cultures
...ALTERNATE NAME: (former) Dahomey LOCATION: Benin POPULATION: 5.7 million LANGUAGE: French...1 • INTRODUCTION Until 1972, Benin was called " Dahomey," named after the...show that people are still unhappy with Benin's weak economy. 2 • LOCATION...
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