Flag Description

two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side; green symbolizes hope and revival, yellow wealth, and red courage

Background:Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a West African kingdom that rose to prominence in about 1600 and over the next two and half centuries became a regional power, largely based on its slave trade. Coastal areas of Dahomey began to be controlled by the French in the second half of the 19th century; the entire kingdom was conquered by 1894. French Dahomey achieved independence in 1960; it changed its name to the Republic of Benin in 1975. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent. YAYI, who won a second five-year term in March 2011, has attempted to stem corruption and has strongly promoted accelerating Benin's economic growth.

Total Area: 112,622 sq km

Land Area:110,622 sq km

Water Area:2,000 sq km

Land Boundries Total:2,123 km

Border Countries:Burkina Faso 386 km, Niger 277 km, Nigeria 809 km, Togo 651 km

Coastline:121 km

Lowest Point:Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Highest Point:Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Population:10160556

Population Growth Rate:2.81% (2014 est.)

Religion:Catholic 27.1%, Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%, Protestant 10.4% (Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, other Protestant 2.2%), other Christian 5.3%, other 15.5% (2002 census)

Literacy(%):0.424

Literacy(%) Male:0.552

Literacy(%) Female:30.3% (2010 census)

Independence Day:1 August 1960 (from France)

National Holiday:National Day, 1 August (1960)

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