This article is about the country, the Republic of Benin. For the pre-colonial kingdom in Nigeria, seeKingdom of Benin. For the city in Nigeria, seeBenin City. For other uses, seeBenin (disambiguation).
Benin,[a] officially theRepublic of Benin,[b] formerly known as theKingdom of Dahomey,[10] is a country inWest Africa. Benin is bordered byTogo to the west,Nigeria to the east,Burkina Faso to the north-west, andNiger to the north-east. The majority of its population lives on the southern coastline of theBight of Benin, part of theGulf of Guinea in the northernmost tropical portion of theAtlantic Ocean.[11] The capital isPorto-Novo, and theseat of government is inCotonou, the most populous city and economic capital.[12] Benin covers an area of 112,622 km2 (43,484 sq mi),[5] and its population in 2021 was estimated to be approximately 13 million.[13][14] It is a tropical country with an economy heavily dependent on agriculture and the exports ofpalm oil andcotton.[15][16]
During French colonial rule and after independence on 1 August 1960, the country wasnamed Dahomey, after theKingdom of Dahomey. On 30 November 1975, following aMarxist–Leninistmilitary coup, the country was renamed Benin, after theBight of Benin, which borders the country, since the name Dahomey is exclusively associated with theFon who inhabited the southern half of the country.[10] The bight takes its name from theKingdom of Benin, located in present-dayNigeria.
Prior to 1600, present-day Benin comprised a variety of areas with different political systems and ethnicities. These includedcity-states along the coast (primarily of theAja ethnic group and also includingYoruba andGbe peoples) and tribal regions inland (composed ofBariba, Mahi, Gedevi, and Kabye peoples). TheOyo Empire, located primarily to the east of Benin, was a military force in the region, conducting raids and exacting tribute from the coastal kingdoms and tribal regions.[18] The situation changed in the 17th and 18th centuries as theKingdom of Dahomey, consisting mostly ofFon people, was founded on theAbomey plateau and began taking over areas along the coast.[19] By 1727, KingAgaja of the Kingdom of Dahomey had conquered the coastal cities ofAllada andWhydah. Dahomey had become a tributary of the Oyo Empire, and rivaled but did not directly attack the Oyo-allied city-state ofPorto-Novo.[20] The rise of Dahomey, its rivalry with Porto-Novo, and tribal politics in the northern region persisted into the colonial and post-colonial periods.[21]
In theDahomey, some younger people were apprenticed to older soldiers and taught the kingdom's military customs until they were old enough to join the army.[22] Dahomey instituted an elite female soldier corps variously calledAhosi (the king's wives), Mino ("our mothers" inFongbe) or the "DahomeanAmazons". This emphasis on military preparation and achievement earned Dahomey the nickname of "BlackSparta", from European observers and 19th-century explorers such asSir Richard Burton.[23]
ThePortuguese Empire was the longest European presence in Benin, beginning in 1680 and ending in 1961 when the last forces leftAjudá.
The kings of Dahomey sold their war captives intotransatlantic slavery[24] or killed them ritually in a ceremony known as theAnnual Customs. By about 1750, the King of Dahomey was earning an estimated £250,000 per year by selling African captives to European slave-traders.[25] The area was named the"Slave Coast" because of a flourishing slave trade. Court protocols which demanded that a portion of war captives from the kingdom's battles be decapitated, decreased the number of enslaved people exported from the area. The number went from 102,000 people per decade in the 1780s to 24,000 per decade by the 1860s.[26]: 15–16 The decline was partly due to theSlave Trade Act 1807 banning thetrans-Atlantic slave trade by Britain in 1808, followed by other countries.[25] This decline continued until 1885 when the last slave ship departed the modern Benin Republic for Brazil, which had yet to abolish slavery. The capitalPorto-Novo ("New Port" in Portuguese) was originally developed as a port for the slave trade.
Dahomey Amazons with the King at their head, going to war, 1793
Among the goods thePortuguese sought were carved items of ivory made by Benin's artisans in the form of carved saltcellars, spoons, and hunting horns – pieces of African art produced for sale abroad as exotic objects.[27] Another major good sought by European settlers was palm oil. In 1856 approximately 2,500 tons of palm oil was exported by British companies which was valued at £112,500.[28]
A French depiction of the conquest of Dahomey in 1893
By the middle of the 19th century, Dahomey had "begun to weaken and lose its status as theregional power". The French took over the area in 1892. In 1899, the French included the land calledFrench Dahomey within the largerFrench West Africa colonial region.[citation needed]
France sought to benefit fromDahomey and the region "appeared to lack the necessary agricultural ormineral resources for large-scalecapitalist development". As a result, France treated Dahomey as a sort of preserve in case future discoveries revealed resources worth developing.[26]: 15
TheFrench government outlawed the capture and sale of slaves. Previousslaveowners sought to redefine their control over slaves as control over land,tenants, and lineage members. This provoked a struggle among Dahomeans, "concentrated in the period from 1895 to 1920, for the redistribution of control over land and labor. Villages sought to redefine boundaries of lands and fishing preserves. Religious disputes scarcely veiled the factional struggles over control of land and commerce which underlay them. Factions struggled for the leadership of great families".[26]: 15–16
On 7 May 1972, Maga ceded power to Ahomadégbé. On 26 October 1972, Lt. Col.Mathieu Kérékou overthrew the ruling triumvirate, becoming president and stating that the country would not "burden itself by copying foreign ideology, and wants neither Capitalism, Communism, nor Socialism". On 30 November 1974, he announced that the country was officiallyMarxist, under control of the Military Council of the Revolution (CMR), which nationalized the petroleum industry and banks. On 30 November 1975, he renamed the country thePeople's Republic of Benin.[33][34] The regime of the People's Republic of Benin underwent changes over the course of its existence: anationalist period (1972–1974); asocialist phase (1974–1982); and a phase involving an opening to Western countries andeconomic liberalism (1982–1990).[35]
In 1974, the government embarked on a program to nationalize strategic sectors of the economy, reform the education system, establish agricultural cooperatives and new local government structures, and a campaign to eradicate "feudal forces" includingtribalism. The regime banned opposition activities. Mathieu Kérékou was elected president by the National Revolutionary Assembly in 1980, re-elected in 1984. Establishing relations with China,North Korea, andLibya, he put "nearly all" businesses and economic activities under state control, causing foreign investment in Benin to dry up.[36] Kérékou attempted to reorganize education, pushing his own aphorisms such as "Poverty is not a fatality".[36] The regime financed itself by contracting to take nuclear waste, first from the Soviet Union and later from France.[36]
In the 1980s, Benin experienced higher economic growth rates (15.6% in 1982, 4.6% in 1983 and 8.2% in 1984), until the closure of the Nigerian border with Benin led to a drop in customs and tax revenues. The government was no longer able to pay civil servants' salaries.[35] In 1989, riots broke out when the regime did not have enough money to pay its army. The banking system collapsed. Eventually, Kérékou renouncedMarxism, and a convention forced Kérékou to release political prisoners and arrange elections.[36]Marxism–Leninism was abolished as the country's form of government.[37]
The country's name was officially changed to the Republic of Benin on 1 March 1990, after the newly formed government's constitution was completed.[38] Kérékou lost toNicéphore Soglo in a 1991 election and became the first president on the African mainland to lose power through an election.[39] Kérékou returned to power after winning the 1996 vote. In 2001, an election resulted in Kérékou winning another term, after which his opponents claimed election irregularities.[40] In 1999, Kérékou issued a national apology for the substantial role that Africans had played in the Atlantic slave trade.[41]
Kérékou and former president Soglo did not run in the 2006 elections, as both were barred by the constitution's restrictions on age and total terms of candidates.[42] TheBeninese presidential election, 2006 resulted in arunoff betweenThomas Boni Yayi andAdrien Houngbédji. The runoff election was held on 19 March and was won by Boni,[43] who assumed office on 6 April.[44] Boni wasreelected in 2011, taking 53.18% of the vote in the first round—enough to avoid a runoff election. He was the first president to win an election without a runoff since the restoration of democracy in 1991.[45]
In theMarch 2016 presidential elections in which Boni Yayi was barred by the constitution from running for a third term, businessmanPatrice Talon won the second round with 65.37% of the vote, defeating investment banker and former Prime MinisterLionel Zinsou. Talon was sworn in on 6 April 2016.[46] Speaking on the same day that the Constitutional Court confirmed the results, Talon said that he would "first and foremost tackle constitutional reform", discussing his plan to limit presidents to a single term of 5 years to combat "complacency". He said that he planned to slash the size of the government from 28 to 16 members.[47] In April 2021, President Patrice Talon was re-elected, with more than 86.3% of the votes cast in the2021 Beninese presidential election.[48] The change in election laws resulted in total control of parliament by president Talon's supporters.[49]
On 11 December 2020, Benin ratified theTreaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, making the use of nuclear weapons in the country illegal. It officially entered into force for Benin on 22 January 2021.
In February 2022, Benin saw its largest terrorist attack in history, theW National Park massacre.[50] On 20 February 2022, President Talon inaugurated an exhibition with 26 pieces of sacred art returned to Benin by France, 129 years after they were looted by colonial forces.[51]
In March 2025, the government of Benin adopted a law, recognizing 16 kingdoms, 80 senior chiefs and 10 traditional chiefs through a new law. The pre-colonial period starting in 1894 for the south and 1897 for the north served as a historical reference for the bill, identifying traditional territories and rules to institutionalize chieftaincy.[52]
In July 2025, the My Afro Origins law went into effect, granting the right of provisional Beninese citizenship to members of theAfrican diaspora whose ancestry was impacted by the transatlantic slave trade.[53]
Atakora, one of Benin's two northernmost departments
Benin shows some variation in elevation and can be divided into four areas from the south to the north, starting with the lower-lying, sandy, coastal plain (highest elevation 10 m (32.8 ft)) which is, at most, 10 km (6.2 mi) wide. It is marshy and dotted with lakes and lagoons communicating with the ocean. Behind the coast lies theGuinean forest-savanna mosaic-covered plateaus of southern Benin (altitude between 20 and 200 m (66 and 656 ft)), which are split by valleys running north to south along theCouffo,Zou, andOuémé Rivers.
This geography makes itvulnerable to climate change. With the majority of the country living near the coast in lower-lying areas, sea level rise could affect the economy and population.[56] Northern areas will see additional regions become deserts.[57]An area of flatter land dotted with rocky hills whose altitude reaches 400 m (1,312 ft) extends around Nikki and Save.[citation needed]
A range of mountains extends along the northwest border and into Togo; these are theAtacora. The highest point,Mont Sokbaro, is at 658 m (2,159 ft). Benin has fields,mangroves and remnants of forests. In the rest of the country, the savanna is covered with thorny scrub and dotted withbaobab trees. Some forests line the banks of rivers. In the north and the northwest of Benin, theReserve du W du Niger andPendjari National Park hasAfrican bush elephants, lions, antelopes,hippopotamus and monkeys.[58][verification needed] Pendjari National Park together with the bordering ParksArli and W National Park inBurkina Faso andNiger are among the strongholds of the lion in West Africa; with an estimated 246–466 lions, W-Arli-Pendjari harbors the largest remaining lion population in West Africa.[59] Historically Benin has served as habitat for the endangeredAfrican wild dog,Lycaon pictus;[60] this canid is thought to have beenlocally extinct.
Annual rainfall in the coastal area averages 1300 mm or about 51 inches. Benin has two rainy and two dry seasons per year. The principal rainy season is from April to late July, with a shorter, less intense rainy period from September to November. The main dry season is from December to April, with a cooler dry season from July to September. Temperatures and humidity are higher along the tropical coast. InCotonou, the average maximum temperature is 31 °C (87.8 °F); the minimum is 24 °C (75.2 °F).[58]
Variations in temperature increase when moving north throughsavanna and plateau toward theSahel. A dry wind from the Sahara called theharmattan blows from December to March, when the grass dries up, other vegetation turns reddish-brown, and a veil of fine dust hangs over the country, causing the skies to be overcast. It is also the season when farmers burn brush in the fields.[58]
In Beninforest cover is around 28% of the total land area, equivalent to 3,135,150 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, down from 4,835,150 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forests covered 3,112,150 hectares (ha), and planted forests covered 23,000 hectares (ha).[61][62]
It was ranked 18th out of 52 African countries and scored best in the categories of Safety & Rule of Law and Participation & Human Rights.[64] In its 2007 Worldwide Press Freedom Index,Reporters Without Borders ranked Benin 53rd out of 169 countries. That place had fallen to 78th by 2016, whenTalon took office, and has fallen further to 113th.[63] Benin has been rated equal-88th out of 159 countries in a 2005 analysis of police, business, and political corruption.[65]
Its democratic system "has eroded" since President Talon took office.[63] In 2018, his government introduced new rules for fielding candidates and raised the cost of registering. The electoral commission, packed with Talon's allies, barred all opposition parties from the parliamentary election in 2019, resulting in a parliament made up entirely of supporters of Talon. That parliament subsequently changed election laws such that presidential candidates need to have the approval of at least 10% of Benin's MPs and mayors. As parliament and most mayors' offices are controlled by Talon, he has control over who can run for president. These changes have drawn condemnation from international observers and led to the United States government partially terminating development assistance to the country.[66][67][68][69]
Benin is divided into twelvedepartments (French:départements) which are subdivided into 77communes. In 1999, the previous six departments were each split into two-halves, forming the later twelve.[70]
The majority of Benin's 11,485,000 inhabitants live in the south of the country. Thelife expectancy is 62 years.[5] About 42 African ethnic groups live in this country, including theYoruba in the southeast (migrated from Nigeria in the 12th century); theDendi in the north-central area (who came from Mali in the 16th century); theBariba and theFula in the northeast; theBetammaribe and theSomba in theAtakora Mountains; theFon in the area aroundAbomey in the South Central and theMina,Xueda, andAja (who came from Togo) on the coast.[58]
The personnel of European embassies and foreign aid missions and of nongovernmental organisations and missionary groups account for a part of the 5,500 European population.[58]
Non-Africans include Europeans, Lebanese people and South Asians.[74]
Local languages are used as the many languages of instruction in elementary schools, with French introduced in later years. At the secondary school level, French is the sole language of instruction. Beninese languages are "generally transcribed" with a separate letter for each speech sound (phoneme), rather than usingdiacritics as in French ordigraphs as in English. This includes BenineseYoruba, which inNigeria is written with both diacritics and digraphs. For instance, themid vowels writtené, è, ô, o in French are writtene,ɛ,o,ɔ in Beninese languages, whereas theconsonants that are writtenng andsh orch in English are writtenŋ andc. Digraphs are used fornasal vowels and thelabial-velar consonantskp andgb, as in the name of theFon languageFon gbe/fõɡ͡be/, and diacritics are used astone marks. In French-language publications, a mixture of French and Beninese orthographies may be seen.
The two main religions in Benin are Christianity, followed mostly in the south and center, and Islam, brought by theSonghai Empire andHausa merchants and followed inAlibori,Borgou, andDonga provinces, as well as among theYoruba, who also practice Christianity.[77][78] Some continue to holdVodun andOrisha beliefs and haveincorporated the pantheon of Vodun and Orisha into Christianity.Ahmadiyya, a sect of Islam originating in the 19th century, also has a presence in the country.[79]
In the 2013 census, 48.5% of the population of Benin were Christian (25.5%Roman Catholic, 6.7%Celestial Church of Christ, 3.4%Methodist, and 12.9% other Christian denominations), 27.7% wereMuslim, 11.6% practicedVodun, 2.6% practiced other local traditional religions, 2.6% practiced other religions, and 5.8% claimed no religious affiliation.[2][80] A government survey conducted by theDemographic and Health Surveys Program in 2011–2012 indicated that followers of Christianity comprised 57.5% of the population (with Catholics making up 33.9%, Methodists 3.0%, Celestials 6.2% and other Christians 14.5%), while Muslims were 22.8%.[81]
According to the most recent (2020) estimate, the population of Benin was 52.2% Christian, 24.6% Muslim, 17.9% animist, and 5.3% followed other faiths or had no religion.[76][82][failed verification]
Traditional religions include local animistic religions in theAtakora region andVodun andOrisha veneration among the Yoruba and Tado peoples in the center and south of the nation. The town ofOuidah on the central coast is the spiritual center of Beninese Vodun or Voodoo.[83]
Theliteracy rate in 2015 was estimated to be 38.4% (49.9% for males and 27.3% for females).[5] Benin has achieved universal primary education and half of the children (54%) were enrolled in secondary education in 2013, according to theUNESCO Institute for Statistics.
While at a time the education system was not free,[84] Benin has abolished school fees and is carrying out the recommendations of its 2007 Educational Forum.[85] The government has devoted more than 4% of GDP to education since 2009. In 2015, public expenditure on education (all levels) amounted to 4.4% of GDP, according to theUNESCO Institute for Statistics. Within this expenditure, Benin devoted a share to tertiary education: 0.97% of GDP.[86]
Between 2009 and 2011, the share of people enrolled at university rose from 10% to 12% of the 18–25-year age cohort. Student enrollment in tertiary education more than doubled between 2006 and 2011 from 50,225 to 110,181. These statistics encompass not only bachelor's, master's, and PhD programmes but also students enrolled in nondegree post-secondary diplomas.[86]
TheHIV/AIDS rate in Benin was estimated in 2013 at 1.13% of adults aged 15–49 years.[87]Malaria is a problem in Benin, being a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children younger than 5 years.[88]
During the 1980s, less than 30% of the country's population had access to primary healthcare services. Benin'sinfant mortality rate stood at 203 deaths for every1000 live births. One in three mothers had access to child health care services. TheBamako Initiative changed that by introducing community-based healthcare reform, resulting in a "more efficient and equitable" provision of services.[89] As of 2015[update], Benin had the 26th highest rate ofmaternal mortality in the world.[90] According to a 2013 UNICEF report, 13% of women had undergonefemale genital mutilation.[91] An approach strategy was extended to all areas of healthcare, with subsequent improvement in the health care indicators and improvement in health care efficiency and cost.[92]Demographic and Health Surveys has surveyed the issue in Benin since 1996.[93][better source needed]In the 2024 Global Hunger Index, Benin ranks 99th out of 127 countries.[94]
Extensive agriculture in the north of Benin, near DjougouReal GDP per capita development of Benin since 1950
The economy is dependent onsubsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Cotton accounts for 40% of the GDP and roughly 80% of official export receipts.[58]
Real GDP growth was estimated at 5.1% and 5.7% in 2008 and 2009, respectively. The main driver of growth is the agricultural sector, with cotton being the main export, while services continue to contribute the largest part of GDP mostly because of Benin's geographical location, enabling trade, transportation, transit and tourism activities with its neighboring states.[95] Benin's overall macroeconomic conditions were "positive" in 2017, with a growth rate of around 5.6%. Economic growth was mostly driven by the cotton industry and other cash crops, the Port of Cotonou, and telecommunications. A source of revenue is the Port of Cotonou, and the government is seeking to expand its revenue base. In 2017, Benin imported about $2.8 billion in goods such as rice, meat and poultry, alcoholic beverages, fuel plastic materials, specialized mining and excavating machinery, telecommunications equipment, passenger vehicles, and toiletries and cosmetics. Principal exports are ginned cotton, cotton cake and cotton seeds, cashew, shea butter, cooking oil, and lumber.[96]
Access tobiocapacity is lower than world average. In 2016, Benin had 0.9 global hectares[97] of biocapacity per person within its territory, less than the world average of 1.6 global hectares per person.[98] In 2016 Benin used 1.4 global hectares of biocapacity per person - theirecological footprint of consumption. This means they use "slightly under double" as much biocapacity as Benin contains. As a result, Benin is running a biocapacity deficit.[97]
Cotton field in northern Benin
To raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis ontourism, facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products, and encourage new information and communication technology. Projects to improve the business climate by reforms to the land tenure system, the commercial justice system, and the financial sector were included in Benin's US$307 millionMillennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006.[99]
TheParis Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, with Benin benefiting from a G8 debt reduction announced in July 2005, while pressing for more rapid structural reforms. An "insufficient" electrical supply continues to "adversely affect" Benin's economic growth and the government has taken steps to increase domestic power production.[5]
Cotonou has the country's only seaport andinternational airport. Benin is connected by 2-lane asphalted roads to its neighboring countries (Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria). Mobile telephone service is available across the country throughoperators. ADSL connections are available in some areas. Benin is connected to the Internet by way of satellite connections (since 1998) and a single submarine cableSAT-3/WASC (since 2001). Relief of "high price" is expected with the initiation of theAfrica Coast to Europe cable in 2011.
With the GDP growth rate of 4%–5% remaining consistent over two decades, poverty has been increasing.[102] According to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Analysis in Benin, those living under the poverty line have increased from 36.2% in 2011 to 40.1% in 2015.[103]
The growingBlaxit movement is starting to bring people of African heritage to Benin for cultural and economic growth reasons, with the Benin government currently working to grant citizenship to people of African descent.[104]
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is responsible for implementing science policy. The National Directorate of Scientific and Technological Research handles planning and coordination, whereas the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research and National Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters each play an advisory role. Financial support comes from Benin's National Fund for Scientific Research and Technological Innovation. The Benin Agency for the Promotion of Research Results and Technological Innovation carries out technology transfer through the development and dissemination of research results.[86] Benin was ranked 119th in theGlobal Innovation Index in 2024,[105] but its rank advanced to 118th in 2025.[106]
The regulatory framework has evolved since 2006 when the science policy was prepared. This has been updated and complemented by new texts on science and innovation (the year of adoption is between brackets):[86]
a manual for monitoring and evaluating research structures and organizations (2013);
a manual on how to select research programmes and projects and apply to the National Fund for Scientific Research and Technological Innovation (2013) for competitive grants;
a draft act for funding scientific research and innovation and a draft code of ethics for scientific research and innovation were both submitted to the Supreme Court in 2014;
a strategic plan for scientific research and innovation (under development in 2015).
Equally important are Benin's efforts to integrate science into existing policy documents:
Benin Development Strategies 2025:Benin 2025 Alafia (2000);
Growth Strategy for Poverty Reduction 2011–2016 (2011);
Phase 3 of theTen-year Development Plan for the Education Sector, covering 2013–2015;
Development Plan for Higher Education and Scientific Research 2013–2017 (2014).
In 2015, Benin's priority areas for scientific research were: health, education, construction and building materials, transportation and trade, culture, tourism and handicrafts, cotton/textiles, food, energy and climate change.[86]
Some so-called challenges facing research and development in Benin are:[86]
the unfavorable organizational framework for research: weak governance, a lack of co-operation between research structures and the absence of an official document on the status of researchers;
the inadequate use of human resources and the lack of any motivational policy for researchers; and
the mismatch between research and development needs.
In 2007, Benin counted 1,000 researchers (in headcounts). This corresponds to 115 researchers per million inhabitants. The "main research structures" are the Centre for Scientific and Technical Research, National Institute of Agricultural Research, the National Institute for Training and Research in Education, Office of Geological and Mining Research, and the Centre for Entomological Research.[86]
The University of Abomey-Calavi was selected by theWorld Bank in 2014 to participate in its Centres of Excellence project, owing to its expertise in applied mathematics. Within this project, the World Bank has loaned $8 million to Benin. The Association of African Universities has received funds to enable it to co-ordinate knowledge-sharing among the 19 universities in West Africa involved in the project.[86]
There are "no available data" on Benin's level of investment in research and development.[86]
In 2013, the government devoted 2.5% of GDP to public health. In December 2014, 150 volunteer health professionals traveled to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone from Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria, as part of a joint initiative by theEconomic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its specialized agency, the West African Health Organisation, to help combat the epidemic. The Ebola epidemic has been a reminder of the underinvestment in West African health systems.[86]
The Government of Benin devoted less than 5% of GDP to agricultural development in 2010, while the members of theAfrican Union had agreed to commit at least 10% of GDP to this area in theMaputo Declaration of 2003. They reiterated this goal in theMalabo Declaration adopted in Equatorial Guinea in 2014. In the latter declaration, they reaffirmed their 'intention to devote 10% of their national budgets to agricultural development and agreed to targets such as doubling agricultural productivity, halving post-harvest loss and bringing stunting down to 10% across Africa'. African leaders meeting in Equatorial Guinea failed to resolve the debate on establishing a common standard of measurement for the 10% target.[107]
Benin has the third-highest publication intensity for scientific journals in West Africa, according to Thomson Reuters' Web of Science, Science Citation Index Expanded. There were 25.5 scientific articles per million inhabitants cataloged in this database in 2014. This compares with 65.0 for the Gambia, 49.6 for Cape Verde, 23.2 for Senegal, and 21.9 for Ghana. The volume of publications in this database tripled in Benin between 2005 and 2014 from 86 to 270. Between 2008 and 2014, Benin's "main scientific collaborators" were based in France (529 articles), the United States (261), United Kingdom (254), Belgium (198), and Germany (156).[86]
Transport in Benin includes road, rail, water, and air transportation. Benin possesses a total of 6,787 km of highway, of which 1,357 km are paved. Of the paved highways in the country, there are 10expressways. This leaves 5,430 km of unpaved road. TheTrans-West African Coastal Highway crosses Benin, connecting it toNigeria to the east, andTogo,Ghana andIvory Coast to the west. When construction inLiberia andSierra Leone is finished, the highway will continue west to 7 otherEconomic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) nations. A paved highway connects Benin northwards toNiger, and through that country toBurkina Faso andMali to the north-west.[citation needed]
Rail transport in Benin consists of 578 km (359 mi) ofsingle track,1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)metre gauge railway. Construction work has commenced on international lines connecting Benin with Niger and Nigeria, with outline plans announced for further connections to Togo and Burkina Faso. Benin will be a participant in theAfricaRail project.[citation needed]
Beninese literature had an oral tradition before French became the dominant language.[108]Félix Couchoro wrote the first Beninese novel,L'Esclave (The Slave), in 1929.
Biennale Benin, continuing the projects of some organizations and artists, started in the country in 2010 as a collaborative event called "Regard Benin". In 2012, the project became a biennial coordinated by a federation of local associations. The international exhibition and artistic program of the 2012 Biennale Benin were curated by Abdellah Karroum.[110][111]
Some Beninese in the south of the country haveAkan-based names indicating the day of the week on which they were born. This is due to influence of theAkan people such as theAkwamu and others.[112]
Benin has numerousnon-sovereign monarchies within the country, many of them derivative of pre-colonial kingdoms (such asArda). Non-sovereign monarchs serve a largely ceremonial role and are subservient to political and civil authorities. Despite this, they play an influential role in local political matters within their particular realms and are often courted by Beninese politicians for electoral support. Advocacy groups, such as theHigh Council of Kings of Benin, represent the monarchs nationally.[113][114]
In 2025, Benin passed a law officially recognising 16 sub-national kingdoms, 80 paramount chiefdoms, and 10 customary chiefdoms across Benin.[115]
Beninese cuisine involves fresh meals served with a variety of key sauces. In southern Beninese cuisine, an ingredient iscorn which has been used to preparedough which has been served with peanut- or tomato-basedsauces. Fish and chicken, beef, goat, andbush rat are consumed. A staple in northern Benin isyams which has been served with sauces mentioned above. The population in the northern provinces use beef and pork meat which is fried in palm or peanut oil or cooked in sauces. Cheese is used in some dishes.Couscous, rice, andbeans are eaten, along with fruits such asmangoes, oranges, avocados, bananas, kiwi fruit, and pineapples.
Meals are said to be generally light on meat and generous onvegetable fat. Frying in palm or peanut oil is a meat preparation, andsmoked fish is prepared in Benin. Grinders are used to preparecorn flour, which is made into a dough and served with sauces. "Chicken on the spit" is a recipe in which chicken is roasted over a fire on wooden sticks.Palm roots are sometimes soaked in a jar with salt water and sliced garlic to tenderize them, then used in dishes. Some people have outdoor mud stoves for cooking.[citation needed][116][117]
The major sports in Benin are association football, basketball, golf, cycling, baseball, softball, tennis andrugby union.[118] In the early 21st century, baseball andteqball were introduced to the country.[119][120]
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