Benin
Name
| Official name | Republic of Benin — République du Bénin |
|---|---|
| Former names | Republic of Dahomey (1958–1975); People's Republic of Benin (1975–1990) |
| Demonym | Beninese |
| Meaning of the name | From the Bight of Benin, the bay on its coast — named in turn for the Kingdom of Benin, which lay in what is now Nigeria and was never part of the country |
| Not to be confused with | Benin City and the Benin Bronzes, which belong to the old kingdom in Nigeria |
Quick facts
| Capital | Porto-Novo — the official capital and seat of the National Assembly; Cotonou the seat of government, largest city and port |
|---|---|
| Official language | French; Fon, Yoruba, Bariba and Dendi the most spoken of some 50 languages |
| Currency | West African CFA franc — ISO code XOF, F CFA; 655.957 to the euro; issued by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) |
| Time zone | West Africa Time, UTC+1, all year |
| Calling code | +229 |
| Internet domain | .bj |
| ISO 3166 codes | BJ · BEN · 204 |
| Vehicle registration code | BJ |
| Driving side | Right |
| Electricity | 220 V, 50 Hz; plug types C and E |
| Independence | 1 August 1960, from France |
| National days | 1 August, Independence Day; 10 January, Vodun Day (since 1998) |
| Constitution | 11 December 1990; revised 2019 and 2025 — the presidential term now seven years, renewable once, and a Senate created |
| Population | About 14.8 million (World Bank, 2025); 10.0 million at the census of 2013 |
| Area | 112,622 km² (43,484 sq mi) by the Factbook; 114,763 km² by Benin's own count — a little smaller than Pennsylvania |
Flag & national symbols
| National flag | A green vertical band at the hoist with yellow over red on the fly — the pan-African colors in an arrangement no other flag uses; Dahomey's flag of 16 November 1959, replaced by a green flag with a red star in 1975 and restored on 1 August 1990.Flag of Benin |
|---|---|
| Coat of arms | A shield of a Somba castle, the Star of Benin, a palm tree and a ship, supported by two leopards, with two cornucopias above and the motto below — adopted 1964, restored 1990 |
| National anthem | "L'Aube Nouvelle" ("The Dawn of a New Day") — by Father Gilbert Jean Dagnon; adopted 1960, restored 1990 |
| National motto | "Fraternité, Justice, Travail" — brotherhood, justice, work |
| National colors | Green, yellow and red |
| National animal | The leopard — the supporter of the arms; widely cited, not designated |
| National dish | Pâte (corn or cassava dough) with sauces; amiwo; akassa — widely cited |
| Symbol status | The flag, arms, anthem and motto are fixed by Article 25 of the Constitution; the animal and dish are widely cited |
Geography
| Location | West Africa, on the Bight of Benin — between Togo and Nigeria, with Burkina Faso and Niger to the north |
|---|---|
| Coastline | 121 km (75 mi) |
| Land borders | 2,123 km (1,319 mi) with four countries |
| Border with Nigeria | 809 km (503 mi) |
| Border with Togo | 651 km (405 mi) |
| Border with Burkina Faso | 386 km (240 mi) |
| Border with Niger | 277 km (172 mi) — the Mékrou and the Niger River |
| Highest point | Mont Sokbaro, 658 m (2,159 ft), in the Atakora range — the CIA World Factbook gives an unnamed elevation of 675 m near Kotopounga |
| Lowest point | The Atlantic Ocean, 0 m |
| Mean elevation | 273 m (896 ft) |
| Major rivers | The Ouémé, about 510 km, the country's longest; the Mono on the Togolese border; the Niger along the north |
| Lakes and lagoons | Lake Nokoué by Cotonou, with the stilt village of Ganvié; Lake Ahémé; the Porto-Novo lagoon |
| Terrain | A coastal plain of lagoons and sandbars; the plateau of the center; the Atakora hills in the northwest; the plains of the Niger in the north |
| Climate | Tropical — two rainy seasons in the south, one in the north; hot and humid on the coast, semiarid toward the Niger |
| Natural hazards | Floods in the rainy season; the harmattan wind of the dry season |
| Natural resources | Small offshore oil, limestone, marble, timber |
| Land use | Agricultural land about 31%; arable about 23%; forest about 40% |
| National parks | Pendjari and W — the Beninese parts of the W-Arly-Pendjari complex, the last great refuge of West African lions and elephants; a World Heritage site |
| UNESCO World Heritage | 3 — the Royal Palaces of Abomey (1985); Koutammakou, the land of the Batammariba (2004, extended into Benin 2023); the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (2017, shared with Burkina Faso and Niger) |
| Administrative divisions | 12 departments — Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Ouémé, Plateau and Zou; 77 communes |
People
| Population | About 14.8 million (World Bank, 2025) |
|---|---|
| Population density | About 130 per km² (340 per sq mi) — far denser in the south |
| Population growth | About 2.5% a year |
| Median age | About 17 years |
| Life expectancy | 61 years (2024, World Bank) |
| Fertility rate | About 4.5 births per woman |
| Urban population | About 50% |
| Adult literacy | About 47% |
| Ethnic groups | Fon about 38%, Adja about 15%, Yoruba about 12%, Bariba about 10%, Fulani about 9%, Ottamari, Yoa-Lokpa, Dendi (2013 census) |
| Languages | French official; Fon and Yoruba in the south, Bariba and Dendi in the north |
| Religion | Christian about 52% — Catholic the largest — Muslim about 24%, Vodun about 12%, other traditional faiths (2013 census) |
| Largest cities | Cotonou, Abomey-Calavi, Porto-Novo, Parakou, Djougou, Bohicon, Natitingou |
| Human Development Index | 0.515 (2023 data, 2025 report) — low human development |
| Diaspora | Communities in Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, France and the United States |
Government
| Form of government | Presidential republic under the Constitution of 1990 as revised in 2019 and 2025 |
|---|---|
| President | Romuald Wadagni, since 24 May 2026 — elected 12 April 2026 with 94.3% of the vote on a turnout of 63.6%, against a single opponent; the former minister of economy and finance |
| Standing of the vote | The main opposition party, the Democrats, was excluded from the ballot after falling below the 20% threshold in the January 2026 parliamentary election; international observers did not judge the presidential vote free and fair |
| Vice President | Mariam Chabi Talata, since 2021 — the first in the office |
| Predecessor | Patrice Talon, president 2016–2026 — left after two terms as the Constitution requires; the first president of the Senate since 6 August 2026 |
| Parliament | The National Assembly — 109 seats, all held by the two parties of the ruling coalition since 11 January 2026; the Senate, created by the 2025 revision |
| Term | Seven years, renewable once, since the 2025 revision — five years before |
| Legal system | Civil law on the French model; a Constitutional Court |
| The north | Since 2021 the northern departments have faced attacks by the al-Qaeda affiliate JNIM from Burkina Faso and Niger; an attack in 2025 killed 54 soldiers |
| United Nations | Member since 20 September 1960 |
| Regional memberships | ECOWAS (a founder, 1975); the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA); the African Union; the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie |
Economy
| GDP (nominal) | About US$23 billion (2025, IMF) |
|---|---|
| GDP per capita | About US$1,600 (2025) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | About US$4,700 (2025) |
| GDP growth | About 6–7% a year (2021–25) — among the fastest in Africa |
| Economy by sector | Services about 50%, agriculture about 27%, industry about 23% |
| Currency | West African CFA franc (XOF), fixed to the euro |
| Cotton | The leading crop and export — Benin among Africa's largest producers |
| The port | The Port of Cotonou — the country's gateway and the transit route for Niger and part of Nigeria |
| Cashew and industry | Cashew the second export; the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ), from 2020, processing cotton and cashew at home |
| Trade partners | Bangladesh, India, China and Vietnam for exports; China, India, Togo and France for imports; Nigeria across the border |
| Income classification | Lower-middle income (World Bank) since 2020 |
Transport & infrastructure
| Main airport | Cadjehoun Airport, Cotonou; a new airport planned at Glo-Djigbé |
|---|---|
| Main port | The Port of Cotonou |
| Railways | About 440 km (270 mi) of meter gauge from Cotonou to Parakou — freight; the extension to Niamey long planned |
| Roads | About 16,000 km (10,000 mi); the RNIE 2 the north–south spine from Cotonou to Malanville on the Niger |
| Motorcycle taxis | The zémidjans — the yellow-shirted riders of Cotonou |
| Waterways | Lake Nokoué and the lagoons; the Niger in the north |
History in dates
| c. 1600 | The Kingdom of Dahomey founded at Abomey |
|---|---|
| 1727 | Dahomey conquers Ouidah and the coast — the slave trade of the Slave Coast |
| 1851 | France's first treaty with Dahomey |
| 1892–1894 | The Franco-Dahomean wars; King Béhanzin exiled |
| 1904 | Dahomey within French West Africa |
| 1958 | The autonomous Republic of Dahomey, 4 December |
| 1960 | Independence, 1 August |
| 1972 | Mathieu Kérékou takes power, 26 October |
| 1975 | The People's Republic of Benin, 30 November |
| 1990 | The National Conference, 19–28 February — the first of francophone Africa's democratic transitions; the symbols restored, 1 August; the Constitution, 11 December |
| 1991 | Nicéphore Soglo elected — the first peaceful transfer of power |
| 2016 | Patrice Talon elected, 6 April |
| 2021 | France returns 26 royal treasures of Abomey, 9 November |
| 2025 | The constitutional revision — a seven-year term and a Senate |
| 2026 | Romuald Wadagni elected, 12 April; inaugurated, 24 May |
Records & firsts
| The cradle of Vodun | Ouidah and the coast — the religion that became Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo; a national holiday since 1998 |
|---|---|
| The Dahomey Amazons | The Agojie, the all-female regiment of the kings of Dahomey — the world's only such army |
| The Door of No Return | The memorial arch on Ouidah beach to the enslaved shipped from the Slave Coast |
| Ganvié | The largest lake village in Africa — some 20,000 people on stilts in Lake Nokoué |
| The 1990 National Conference | The model for the democratic transitions of francophone Africa |
| Pendjari | One of the last homes of the West African lion |
| The royal palaces | The twelve palaces of Abomey — a World Heritage site since 1985 |
| Cotton | Africa's largest cotton producer in several recent seasons |
| Two capitals | Porto-Novo in law, Cotonou in practice |
Frequently asked questions
What is the official name of Benin?
The Republic of Benin — République du Bénin. The country was the Republic of Dahomey from 1958 until 30 November 1975, when it took the name of the Bight of Benin on its coast; it was the People's Republic of Benin until 1990. It is not the medieval Kingdom of Benin, whose capital and bronzes are in Nigeria.
What is the capital of Benin?
Porto-Novo, in the southeast, is the official capital and seat of the National Assembly; Cotonou, the largest city and port on the Atlantic, is the seat of government and of the presidency, the ministries and the embassies. Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou's neighbor, has grown into the country's most populous commune.
How big is Benin, and how many people live there?
About 112,622 km² (43,484 sq mi) by the CIA World Factbook — Benin's own figure is 114,763 — a little smaller than Pennsylvania: a narrow key-shaped country 700 km from the Niger River to the sea. About 14.8 million people live there (World Bank, 2025), the great majority in the south.
What are the highest and lowest points of Benin?
Mont Sokbaro, 658 m (2,159 ft), in the Atakora range on the Togolese border, is the highest point by the usual reckoning; the CIA World Factbook now gives an unnamed rise of 675 m near Kotopounga instead. The Atlantic coast is the lowest, and the mean elevation is 273 m — a country of plains and low plateaus.
What currency does Benin use?
The West African CFA franc (ISO code XOF), shared with seven other states of the West African Economic and Monetary Union and fixed at 655.957 to the euro. Clocks keep West Africa Time, UTC+1, all year.
Who governs Benin?
President Romuald Wadagni, the former finance minister, in office since 24 May 2026 after winning the election of 12 April with 94 percent of the vote against a single opponent — a contest international observers did not judge free or fair, with the main opposition party excluded from the ballot. He succeeded Patrice Talon, who left after two terms and became the first president of the new Senate. Under the constitutional revision of 2025 the president serves a seven-year term, renewable once.
World knowledge, A to Z — the flags of every country, the sciences, places, people and more.
We Value Your Opinion Comments