Located on the west coast of Africa, the Republic of Benin was once home of the powerful Dahomey kingdom. It is an area that grew rich on the slave trade, earning itself the name “The Slave Coast.” In the 1800s, the people of the area were famous for being well educated. Modern Benin has faced decades of economic hardship, however, and many of its people cannot read and write. A new government in the early 1990s brought new hopes of growth and stability. Porto-Novo is the country's official capital, but the port city of Cotonou serves as the nation's political capital and commercial center. GeographyBenin covers an area of 44,300 square miles (114,700 square kilometers), slightly smaller than the state of Pennsylvania. Niger borders it to the north, Nigeria to the east, the Gulf of Guinea to the south, Togo to the west, and Burkina Faso to the northwest. The Niger River forms part of the boundary with Niger. Benin is mostly flat but also has some hills and low mountains. Although it is a small country, it has five natural regions. The coastal area is low, flat, and sandy and is backed by lagoons. North of the coast is the barre country, a fertile clay plateau. North and west of the barre are the Benin plateaus, wooded savanna ranging in height from 300 to 750 feet (90 to 230 meters). The Atakora Mountains, located in the northwest, reach a height of 2,146 feet (654 meters) at their highest point. In the northeast are the plains of the Niger River valley. Benin's climate varies from region to region. It is tropical, hot, and humid in the south; the north is drier. Temperatures average around 82° F (28° C). Plants and animalsSouthern Benin was once covered by lush tropical forest. Much of the forest was cleared for farming and lumber, however. Woodlands occupy most of central Benin. The drier northern regions are covered mostly in grasslands. This area borders on the Sahel, a semidesert fringe zone between tropical Africa and the Sahara. Elephants, buffalo, antelope, panthers, monkeys, crocodiles, and a variety of tropical birds are found in the southern sections of Benin. Hunting and the destruction of natural habitats threaten the country's wildlife. People and cultureOn average, Benin has a high population density, with more than 144 people per square mile (55 per square kilometer). This density is even higher in the south, where two thirds of the population lives. More than 40 ethnic groups make up the Beninese population. The largest of these are the Fon, Yoruba, and Adjara. Most Beninese either are Christians (35 percent) or follow traditional religious beliefs, including voodoo (35 percent). Voodoo is an African religion that involves worship of the spirit in all things. Another 20 percent of the people are Muslims. French is the official language, but Fon, Yoruba, and other tribal languages are used in everyday life and in the elementary schools. EconomyBenin's economy is based primarily on small family farms that produce little more than what each family needs. These farms grow mostly corn, yams, cassava, rice, sorghum, and beans. The Beninese also raise cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, and chickens. In the late 1990s, the government of Benin began drilling for oil from its offshore Semé oil field. The country's main exports are cotton yarn, cotton seed, and crude petroleum. HistoryIn the early 17th century the region was home to several major kingdoms. The Dahomey kingdom was one of the largest, strongest, and best organized on the west coast of Africa. Over time, Dahomey's powerful army conquered its neighbors. Through conquest, the kingdom eventually expanded to the coast. Once it reached the coast, the Kingdom of Dahomey became one of the largest suppliers of slaves to Europeans for the trans-Atlantic slave trade. European demand for slaves eventually led to competition between kingdoms to supply those slaves. This in turn led to constant warfare in the region. The warfare finally slowed in the early 1800s, when most countries in Europe abolished slavery. At that time, Dahomey began to develop palm plantations and to trade palm oil. In 1851, Dahomey signed a treaty of friendship and trade with France. This treaty gradually enabled France to conquer the coastal area. France later conquered vast inland territories to the north as well, linking the interior lands with the sea. The French named their new territory Dahomey after the Kingdom of Dahomey. That territory became a French colony in 1894 and part of a larger administrative unit called French West Africa in 1904. The African population in Dahomey resisted French rule, however, and eventually demanded the colony's freedom. These demands were finally granted on August 1, 1960, when Dahomey proclaimed itself independent. The country continued to operate under the name Dahomey for 15 years. After independence, Hubert Maga became president of Dahomey. Maga's government failed to unify the country, however. The government was weak and unstable. Under these conditions, a group of military officers overthrew Maga in 1963. This began a long period of political instability. During the next nine years, Dahomey had nine changes in government and five different constitutions. Some political stability returned to the country in 1972, when army officer Mathieu Kérékou seized control of the government. Kérékou ruled for the next 19 years. He changed the country's name in 1975 to the People's Republic of Benin and took control of major foreign companies. In 1979, under a new constitution, a National Revolutionary Assembly was elected. It continued to reelect Kérékou to five-year terms. By the late 1980s, however, economic problems and conflict among the people forced Kérékou to adopt democratic reforms, or changes. Finally, in 1991, the country held multiparty elections and elected Nicéphore Soglo as president. Soglo held one term in office and was then defeated in 1996 by former president Kérékou. Kérékou was reelected in 2001. Population (2000 estimate), 6,396,000. |