- Official name
- Republic of Benin République du Bénin · French
- Capital
- Porto-Novo (the official capital; the government sits in Cotonou)
- Region
- Western Africa
- Population (2018 est.)
- ≈ 11 million
- Area
- 112,622 km²
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Neighbours
- Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Togo
- Internet / phone
- .bj · +229
Where it is
Notable facts
- Benin was the seat of the Kingdom of Dahomey, whose all-female military regiment became famous as the “Dahomey Amazons”.
- Vodun (voodoo) originated here and is an officially recognised religion with a national holiday.
- Ganvié is a village of stilt houses on Lake Nokoué, home to tens of thousands of people.
- The Royal Palaces of Abomey are a UNESCO World Heritage site.