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Benin
Quick Overview:
Benin is an independent republic, with a democratic government, which lies on the Gulf of Guinea and forms part of the West African Region. The capital city is Porto-Novo although the commercial capital is Cotonou. Other major cities are Abomey and Kandi. The official language is French and various local languages (Hausa in the north and the languages of the Fon and the Yoruba in the south) are also spoken. The local currency is the CFA-Franc. (US$ / CFA Franc - current exchange rate). Improved management and political stability is helping Benin to keep up an annual growth rate of around 5% in spite of economic underdevelopment and dependency on subsistence agriculture, cotton production and regional trade. The economy of Benin encourages free trade. The Benin oil industry and mining industry are two key elements in the economy of the country. Electricity is provided by the parastatal utility Societe Beninoise d'Electricite et d'Eau (SBEE). Agriculture, Commerce and Transportation make up the largest proportion of the GNP. The manufacturing sector in Benin contributed 7% to the country's GDP in 1995 and focuses around the agricultural industry, processing products and manufacturing consumer goods and construction materials. The cement and oil refining industries make up the only heavy industry of Benin. The international time zone for Benin is Greenwich - 1. The international dialling code for Benin is +229. Air Afrique and Air France are served by an international airport at Cotonou while Benin Inter-Regional operates domestic flights to airports at Abomey, Parakpou, Natitingou and Kandi. As from January 1996 all nationals required visas in order to visit Benin except nationals of Denmark, France, Germany and Italy. Transport infrastructure is improving with road and rail development as well as container facility provision to increase the capacity of the port of Cotonou. Medical services in Benin can be expensive and may require advance payment. Vaccinations as well as medical insurance should be arranged prior to arriving in Benin. Due to the state of health, the current state of immunisation, location and the local disease situation, there is risk of contracting cholera, dengue fever, hepatitis A, malaria, meningitis, schistomiasis, tuberculosis, typhoid fever and yellow fever.
Geography:
The history of Benin is indegenous. It was thought that before 1600 that the Adja people migrated from the town of Tado to the Mono River ( in Togo), settling at Alada, where they mixed the Fon and founded a kingdom. Early in the 17th century a dynastic dispute resulted in the establishment of two rival states in Abomy. For over six hundred years the city of Benin was the capital of a prosperous, well-organized empire of the same name. At its peak during the 14th and 15th centuries, the empire stretched from Dahomey to the Niger River and reached as far south as the coast. In 1170 A.D. a prince from the city of Ife named Oranmiyan founded the monarchy of Benin. His son, Eweka I, became the first Oba (king). The present ruler, Erediauwa I, is the 39th Oba of the dynasty. The palace in Benin was the height of a complex feudal society characterized by widespread competition for power, prestige and wealth. The arrival of the Portuguese around 1485 created a new era of prosperity and rapid expansion. The Portuguese provided economic and militaristic strength for the kingdom, acting as conduit for overseas trade and fighting in Benin military campaigns. Conflicts stemming from the early 17th century helped bring about the decline of the kingdom in 1897, when an official British delegation was ambushed on route to the kingdom. In retaliation, the British sent the Oba into exile and burned the palaces. In order to further weaken the Oba and to deter additional bloodshed --the Oba had made sacrifices to the gods -- the British removed over two thousand objects from the palace. These objects -- including the Oba's primary symbol of power, the stool -- were auctioned off to defray the costs of the military expedition. Today Benin City is the capital of Bendal State and part of Nigeria's federal structure. The anual rainfall is 1320.8mm./ 52 inches and the area is 43,484 square miles. the population is 6,395,919 and the capital is Porto-Novo. The highest point is at the top of the Atacora Mountains which is about 2,000 feet high and the lowest point is at sea level which is in the South Atlantic ocean at 0 meters. Their main language is French which is the official language, Fon, and Yoruba. The currency is CFA franc = 100 centimeters. The ethnic groups that they have are African, Fon, Adja, and Yoruba and their religions are Indigenous Beliefs which is 70%, Muslim which is 15%, and Christian which is 15%. Their most Notable Attraction is their National Parks.
Related Links:
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News Benin Post All Africa / Benin |
Offical Sites Ambassade Benin (French) |
Country Guides Africaguide - Benin Tourist Guide Benin (French) |
Education All about Education in benin |