Benin Country Facts

Official Name: Republic of Benin

Alternate Names: Benin

Former Names: Dahomey

Capital City: Porto-Novo

Flag: Two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side

Date of Independence: August 1, 1960 from France

National Anthem: L'Aube Nouvelle (The Dawn of a New Day)

Population: 7,250,033

Size/Area: 112,620 sq km, slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land Locked: No

Coastline: 121 km

Bordering Countries: Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Togo

Administrative Divisions: 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

Major Cities: Bohicon, Cotonou, Djougou, Kandi, Parakou, Porto Novo

Languages: French, Fon and Yoruba

Religions: Indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Major Holidays: New Year's Day, Martyrs' Day, Id al-Fitr, Youth Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Workers', Ascension Day, Whit Monday, Id al-Adha, Assumption, Armed Forces Day, All Saints' Day, National Day, Christmas, Harvest Day.

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc

Currency Code: XOF

Highest Point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Lowest Point: Atlantic Ocean

Bordering Bodies of Water: Niger River, Atlantic Ocean

Bodies of Water: Niger River, Atlantic Ocean

Climate: The south is tropical, hot, and humid. The north is semiarid.

Major Industries: textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction materials

Major Agricultural Products: cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock

Natural Resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber


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This eBook is the most complete listing of African tribes available on the internet. The first section of this book is the tribes sorted alphabetically by country. The second section is the tribes sorted alphabetically by tribe name.