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Benin
Africa
A West African country known for its history as the birthplace of Vodun (Voodoo) religion. Benin has a growing economy based on agriculture and trade.
14,000,000
Population
112,622
Area (km²)
Porto-Novo
Capital
30
Historical Events
Historical Timeline
Cities
30 Events
September 09, 2025 - Benin defeats Lesotho 4-0 in a CAF World Cup qualifier, with goals from S. Mounié and A. Hountondji, strengthening their Group C position.
September 01, 2025 - Ruling coalition nominates Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as presidential candidate for 2026, emphasizing continuity in economic reforms amid challenges like purchasing power.
August 25, 2025 - WHO Representative Dr. Kouamé Jean Konan meets National Assembly President to reaffirm support for health initiatives, including polio vaccination campaigns.
July 24, 2025 - Benin strengthens diaspora ties, appointing figures like Spike Lee as ambassadors to promote reconnection with ancestral roots.
July 17, 2025 - World Bank urges Benin to mobilize domestic resources for inclusive growth, noting 2024's 7.5% GDP expansion but highlighting youth unemployment and inequality.
July 01, 2025 - My Afro Origins law takes effect, granting provisional citizenship to African diaspora descendants affected by the slave trade.
May 08, 2025 - 20th Tour du Benin cycling race held, boosting the sport's profile on the UCI Africa Tour amid growing African professional cyclists.
April 20, 2025 - JNIM claims responsibility for raids on two military posts in Kandi province, killing 70 soldiers; Benin later confirms 54 deaths.
March 01, 2025 - Government passes a law recognizing 16 kingdoms, 80 senior chiefs, and 10 traditional chiefs, institutionalizing pre-colonial chieftaincy based on 1890s territories.
January 14, 2025 - Expanded Vodun Days festival in Ouidah promotes voodoo positively, drawing tourists with dances and backflips to counter stereotypes.
January 08, 2025 - JNIM launches a major attack on a military base in Alibori province, killing 54 soldiers in the deadliest jihadist incident in Benin since 2015.
December 31, 2024 - Economy grows 7.5%, the highest since 1990, driven by services and manufacturing.
November 18, 2024 - Benin qualifies for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a 0-0 draw against Libya, advancing on head-to-head record over Rwanda.
October 07, 2024 - World Cotton Day held in Cotonou, highlighting WTO progress on cotton trade issues.
September 25, 2024 - Authorities arrest former sports minister Oswald Homeky, businessman Olivier Boko, and others over an alleged coup plot involving the Republican Guard.
September 16, 2024 - Two police officers killed in an ambush near the Niger border by unidentified armed men.
June 19, 2024 - Stampede during a Benin-Senegal Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Cotonou kills two and injures many, due to overwhelmed ticket distribution.
June 05, 2024 - Seven soldiers killed in an ambush by suspected Islamist militants in Pendjari National Park.
May 09, 2024 - Benin blocks Niger's oil exports through its territory amid escalating border tensions, with President Talon accusing Niger of treating Benin like an "enemy."
April 27, 2024 - Police use tear gas to disperse a trade union protest in Cotonou demanding higher wages (minimum salary raised to 52,000 CFA francs/$85 in January); several union leaders arrested.
February 01, 2024 - French-Senegalese film Dahomey, about looted African art from Benin, wins the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.
November 01, 2023 - Benin recruits 5,000 additional soldiers to counter rising jihadist attacks spilling over from Burkina Faso.
September 24, 2023 - Explosion at an illegal fuel depot near the Nigeria border kills at least 35 people, including a child, with bodies severely charred.
August 01, 2023 - Communications regulator suspends La Gazette du Golf over Niger coup coverage; Nigerian journalist Damilola Ayeni arrested in Pendjari National Park on extremism suspicions and released without charge.
June 01, 2023 - President Patrice Talon appoints a new Constitutional Court dominated by allies, raising concerns over judicial independence.
May 01, 2023 - Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) fighters kill at least 15 civilians and kidnap 12 in KĂ©rou commune, amid a 75% rise in civilian attacks (182 total) from jihadist groups.
February 01, 2023 - Gbèhounou Louis Vlavonou is reelected as National Assembly president, breaking regional representation tradition.
January 12, 2023 - Pro-government parties win a supermajority (81 of 109 seats), while opposition Democrats secure 28 seats.
January 10, 2023 - Annual Voodoo (Vodun) festival draws worshippers and tourists to Ouidah and Cotonou, featuring dances, rituals, and efforts to reconnect with African diaspora roots.
January 08, 2023 - Parliamentary elections are held, marking the return of opposition parties after a four-year absence; no major violence reported, with 37.8% turnout.
Frequently Asked Questions About Benin
100 Questions
Benin is in West Africa, bordered by Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger, and the Atlantic Ocean.
The capital is Porto-Novo, though the seat of government is in Cotonou.
Around 14 million people as of 2025 estimates.
French is the official language; Fon, Yoruba, Bariba, and many local languages are widely spoken.
Tropical in the south with two rainy seasons; semi-arid in the north.
The West African CFA franc (XOF).
Green vertical stripe on the left, with yellow and red horizontal stripes on the right.
Cotonou, Porto-Novo, Parakou, Abomey, and Djougou.
On August 1, 1960, from France.
The Republic of Dahomey until 1975.
Hubert Maga.
Patrice Talon (as of 2025).
A presidential republic.
Christianity, Islam, and traditional beliefs, especially Vodun (Voodoo).
In Benin, particularly among the Fon and Ewe peoples.
Held every January 10 in Ouidah, celebrating traditional religion.
Cotton, cashews, textiles, and palm oil.
Agriculture and trade.
Around $21 billion in 2025 estimates.
Around 55% overall, with lower rates for women.
Around 62 years.
About 4.6 children per woman.
More than 60% under 25 years old.
Foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles, and fuel.
About 12–15%, higher among youth.
Moderate, tied to regional CFA franc stability.
Limestone, marble, timber, and potential oil reserves.
The Fon people.
Ouémé, Mono, and Niger rivers.
Mount Sokbaro (658 m).
The Atlantic Ocean at sea level.
West Africa Time (WAT), UTC +1.
None, but Vodun is deeply influential.
Football (soccer) and athletics.
Yes, with appearances in the quarterfinals in 2004 and 2019.
Kuli-kuli (groundnut snack) and amiwo (cornmeal dish).
A fermented maize dish eaten with sauces.
Traditional drumming, Afrobeat, and modern pop.
A Grammy-winning singer from Benin, known worldwide.
Colorful wax-print fabrics, boubous, and headscarves.
African traditions, French colonial heritage, and Vodun.
Active in agriculture, markets, and increasingly politics.
Around 45%, lower than men.
Employs about 70% of the population.
Cotton, cashews, maize, and yams.
Maize, cassava, rice, yam, and beans.
Poverty, unemployment, infrastructure, and reliance on cotton.
Around 50%, with fast growth in Cotonou.
It is the economic hub and largest city.
It is the political capital.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, once home to Dahomey kings.
A powerful all-female military regiment in the Kingdom of Dahomey.
About 65%.
Improving but limited, with shortages in rural areas.
Malaria, cholera, and diarrheal diseases.
High, but improving with better healthcare.
The Port of Cotonou.
It serves as a regional trade hub with Nigeria.
Vodun Festival (January 10), Gelede Festival, and Yam Festival.
Bronze statues, textiles, and wood carvings.
It is an active member of the West African economic bloc.
Active in peacekeeping and integration efforts.
About 40% of the population.
High, with millions of subscribers.
Air Benin (though now limited operations).
Yes, including Pendjari National Park and W National Park.
Elephants, lions, antelopes, and hippos.
Maize, cassava, yam, palm, and shea trees.
Contributes troops to UN and African missions.
Ouidah was a major hub in the transatlantic slave trade.
A memorial in Ouidah marking the slave trade.
Declining slowly but still high.
Men: 61 years; Women: 63 years.
Around 70%, much higher than older generations.
Strong cultural, economic, and political ties.
Relatively stable due to CFA franc.
Nigeria is Benin’s biggest trade partner.
It is the largest export crop.
The National Assembly.
French civil law with customary influences.
University of Abomey-Calavi and University of Parakou.
Birthplace of Vodun and home to famous musicians.
They dominate trade and local commerce.
Diversification beyond cotton and agriculture.
Beninese communities abroad in France, U.S., and Nigeria.
They send remittances and support local families.
They make up the majority of the population and drive culture.
Poverty, education, healthcare, and jobs.
Religion influences culture but politics is officially secular.
Symbolic cultural figures, especially in Abomey.
Around $1,500 annually.
Fried plantains, yam pottage, maize porridge, and sauces.
Important for coastal communities.
A staple food, used for gari and flour.
The main staple for akassa and porridges.
Limited railways, expanding roads, and motorbike taxis (zemidjans).
Benin is famous for bronze sculptures and crafts.
Ancient artworks from the Kingdom of Benin (in modern Nigeria), often confused with Benin Republic.
Balancing democracy, development, and stability.
It is the birthplace of Vodun, an important trade hub, and a model of relative political stability in West Africa.