Benin
Africa · Western Africa
Overview
Benin lies in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea, bordered by Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The territory was once home to the Kingdom of Dahomey, which flourished from the 17th to the 19th century and became known regionally for its strong military organization, including an all-female warrior corps. The Vodun religion, commonly known as voodoo, originated in Benin and remains an officially recognized religion practiced by a significant part of the population, with animist traditions also present in the daily life of Christian and Muslim communities. The official language is French, and the country has two capitals: Porto-Novo, the constitutional capital, and Cotonou, the seat of government and largest city.
The former royal palaces of Abomey, seat of the kings of Dahomey, with their bas-relief mudbrick walls, have formed a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985. The village of Ganvié, built on stilts over Lake Nokoué, was founded according to tradition by the Tofinu people fleeing slave raiders, who were prevented by religious belief from entering the water. The city of Ouidah, a former center of the transatlantic slave trade, is home to the Slave Route memorial and the Python Temple, making it a sacred site of the Vodun religion. Cotonou's Dantokpa market, one of the largest open-air markets in West Africa, sells everything from textiles to food.
Pendjari National Park, in the north of the country, is home to lions, elephants, and leopards, and ranks among the most significant protected areas of West African savanna wildlife. Vodun ceremonies and the related annual festival, held on January 10th in Ouidah, offer insight into local religious traditions, which also form the roots of the voodoo and santería religions practiced in the Caribbean and Brazil. Local cuisine is built around pâte, a thick paste made from cassava or corn, served with a spiced sauce, often made with palm oil and fish.
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UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Browse all UNESCO sites →Royal Palaces of Abomey
From 1625 to 1900, 12 kings succeeded one another at the head of the powerful Kingdom of Abomey. With the exception of King Akaba, who had his own separate enclosure, they all had their palaces built within the same cob-wall area, in keeping with previous palaces as regards the use of space and materials. The royal palaces of Abomey are a unique reminder of this vanished kingdom.
W-Arly-Pendjari Complex
This transnational extension (Benin, Burkina Faso) to the W National Park of Niger, inscribed in 1996 on the World Heritage List, cover a major expanse of intact Sudano-Sahelian savannah, with vegetation types including grasslands, shrub lands, wooded savannah and extensive gallery forests. It includes the largest and most important continuum of terrestrial, semi-aquatic and aquatic ecosystems in the West African savannah belt. The property is a refuge for wildlife species that have disappeared elsewhere in West Africa or are highly threatened. It is home to the largest population of elephants in West Africa and most of the large mammals typical of the region, such as the African Manatee, cheetah, lion and leopard. It also harbours the only viable population of lions in the region.
Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba
The Koutammakou landscape in north-eastern Togo and neighbouring Benin is home to the Batammariba, whose remarkable mud tower-houses are known as takienta (sikien in the plural). Nature is strongly associated with the rituals and beliefs of society here. The landscape is exceptional due to the architecture of the tower-houses which reflect the social structure; its farmland and forest; and the associations between people and landscape. The buildings are grouped in villages, which also include ceremonial spaces, springs, sacred rocks and sites reserved for initiation ceremonies.
Data: UNESCO WHC · CC BY-SA 4.0
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Benin?
The capital of Benin is Porto-Novo.
What is the area of Benin?
The area of Benin is 112,622 km².
What is the population of Benin?
The population of Benin is 14,462,724.
What is the currency of Benin?
The currency of Benin is West African CFA franc (XOF).
What is the official language of Benin?
The official language of Benin: French.
What side of the road does Benin drive on?
Benin: Right-hand traffic.
Is Benin a member of the United Nations?
Yes, Benin is a member of the United Nations.