| Republic of Benin République du Bénin (French) | ||||||
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| Motto: "Fraternité, Justice, Travail" (French) Fraternity, Justice, Labour |
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| Anthem: L'Aube nouvelle (French) "The Dawn of a New Day" |
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| Capital | Porto-Novo | |||||
| Largest city | Cotonou | |||||
| National languages | French | |||||
| National languages | Arabic; English; Aguna; Aja; Alada; Fon; Gbe; Gen; Gun; Pherá; Phla; Tofin; Tɔli; Waci; Berba; Kabye; Lama; Lukpa; Mbelime; Mossi; Nateni; Ngangam; Tammari; Tem; Waama; Yom; Kwa; Chakosi; Foodo; Ede; Ifè; Mokole; Yoruba; Yoruboid; Bariba; Dendi; Fula; Hausa | |||||
| Religion | 56.2% Christianity (Dominant) 24.6% Islam 17.9% traditional faiths 1.2% no religion 0.1% other |
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| Demonym | Beninese Beninoise |
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| Government | Unitary presidential republic | |||||
| - | President | Patrice Talon | ||||
| - | Vice President | Mariam Chabi Talata | ||||
| Legislature | National Assembly | |||||
| Independence from France | ||||||
| - | French protectorate | 1894 | ||||
| - | Republic of Dahomey established within the French Community | 11 December 1958 | ||||
| - | Independence | 1 August 1960 | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 114,763 km2 44,310 sq mi |
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| Population | ||||||
| - | estimate | 13,754,688 | ||||
| GDP (PPP) | 2023 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $59.241 billion | ||||
| - | Per capita | $4,305 | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2023 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $19.940 billion | ||||
| - | Per capita | $1,449 | ||||
| Gini (2023) | 34.4 | |||||
| HDI (2023) | 0.504 | |||||
| Currency | West African CFA franc (XOF) |
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| Time zone | UTC+1 (WAT) | |||||
| Drives on the | Right | |||||
| Internet TLD | .bj | |||||
| Calling code | +229 | |||||
Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its population lives on the southern coastline of the Bight of Benin, part of the Gulf of Guinea in the northernmost tropical portion of the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Porto-Novo, and the seat of government is in Cotonou, the most populous city and economic capital. Benin covers an area of 112,622 km2 (43,484 sq mi), and its population in 2021 was estimated to be approximately 13 million. It is a tropical country with an economy heavily dependent on agriculture and is an exporter of palm oil and cotton.
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