Countries

Benin

Also Known As Republic of Benin

Citation Formats

General Reference

Geography Atlas. "Benin." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://geography.interactiveatlas.org/countries/benin.

APA Style

Geography Atlas. (n.d.). Benin. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://geography.interactiveatlas.org/countries/benin

BibTeX

@misc{geographyatlas-benin,
  author = {Geography Atlas},
  title = {Benin},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://geography.interactiveatlas.org/countries/benin},
  note = {Accessed August 30, 2026}
}

Benin, officially the Republic of Benin and formerly known as Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is a tropical country whose economy is heavily dependent on agriculture and the exports of palm oil and cotton. Benin gained full independence from France on 1 August 1960. Its official capital is Porto-Novo, while Cotonou is the seat of government.

Facts

Capital

Porto-Novo 1

Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government and the country's most populous city.

Population

15,170,420 1

2026 estimate.

Population Estimate Year

2026 1

Area (sq km)

114,763 1

Independence or Founding Year

1960 1

Benin, then Dahomey, gained full independence from France on 1 August 1960, celebrated each year as Independence Day.

Cross-Tradition Connections

Sources

1. Benin (Wikipedia)

Wikimedia FoundationInfobox

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Republic of Benin

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1. Benin (Wikipedia)

Wikimedia FoundationInfobox, capital

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Porto-Novo (official); Cotonou (seat of government)

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1. Benin (Wikipedia)

Wikimedia FoundationInfobox, area

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114,763 km2

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1. Benin (Wikipedia)

Wikimedia FoundationDemographics section, 2026

Quote, Demographics section, 2026

15,170,420 (2026 estimate)

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1. Benin (Wikipedia)

Wikimedia FoundationHistory section, independence

Quote, History section, independence

full independence on 1 August 1960 which is celebrated each year as Independence Day

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1. Benin (Wikipedia)

Wikimedia FoundationIntroduction

Quote, Introduction

Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, formerly known as Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is a tropical country with an economy heavily dependent on agriculture and the exports of palm oil and cotton.

View the Source

Niger River (Wikipedia)

Wikimedia FoundationRivers Through Territory: Niger River, Infobox, Countries

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