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• Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is located in West Africa, bordered by Togo, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
• The country has a population of approximately 13 million (2021) and covers an area of 112,622 km².
• Porto-Novo is the capital, while Cotonou serves as the economic capital and the most populous city.
• Benin's economy relies heavily on agriculture, especially palm oil and cotton exports.
• The historical political entities included the Kingdom of Dahomey and Porto Novo, with French colonization beginning in 1894.
• Benin gained independence in 1960 and has experienced various forms of governance including democratic governments and military regimes.
• A Marxist-Leninist state existed from 1975 to 1990, followed by the establishment of the multi-party Republic of Benin in 1991.
• The official language is French, with several indigenous languages spoken, including Fon, Bariba, and Yoruba.
• The majority religion is Christianity (52.2%), followed by Islam (24.6%) and African traditional religions (17.9%).
• Benin is a member of multiple international organizations, including the United Nations, the African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States.