Facts about Benin
Official name: Republic of Benin
Capital: Porto-Novo
Largest city: Cotonou
Official Language: French
Indigenous Languages: Fon & Yoruba
President: Patrice Talon
Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)
Total Area: 114,763sq. km
Population: 10,872,298 (2016 estimate)
GDP: $27.546 billion (2018 estimate)
Income per capita: $2,411 (2018 estimate)
Currency: West African CFA Franc (XOF)
Time zone: UTC + 1 (WAT)
Driving side: Right
Calling Code: +229
Benin is a west African country officially known as the Republic of Benin, formerly known as Dahomey. Benin is bordered by Togo to the West, Nigeria to the East, Burkina Faso and Niger to the North. The capital of Benin is called Porto-Novo though Cotonou is the country’s largest city and administrative headquarters.
Benin is mostly a tropical nation and agriculture is the main economic activity though it is more of subsistence in nature. French is the official language in Benin and the major indigenous languages include Fon and Yoruba. Roman Catholicism is the largest religious group followed by Islam, Vodum and Protestantism.
Benin belongs to a number of international organizations including United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), La Francophonie, African Petroleum Producers Association, among others.