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Benin
Benin
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Customs and Culture
Customs and Culture
Cultural Attributes
A proper greeting always precedes conversation. Benin has a mix of animist, Muslim, Christian, and secular holidays. Beninese place great importance on rites of passage. Their families, society, and traditions depend on them. Traditional weddings can last weeks.
Land of Dahomey's Legacy
Social Customs & Etiquette
Greetings
People usually greet each other even if they are strangers. Muslims ask about the other person's family. Visitors are always offered a glass of water and if it is mealtime they are expected to eat. People kneel in front of older family members this is a sign of respect.
Gestures
Public display of affection is unacceptable, but friends often hold hands or touch when talking or walking.
Visiting
Men usually shake right hands, with the oldest person initiating the handshake. Women shake hands with men only if the man offers his hand. When arriving during a meal the host feels obligated to offer some food. It is rude not to taste the food but one can politely decline the entire meal.
Personal Appearance
Urban residents wear western and traditional style clothes. Rural women often wear a pagne. The boubou is popular with both men and women but usually only worn for special occasions.
Diet
Beninese prefer hot and spicy foods. French cuisine is eaten in the north while fresh seafood is plentiful in the south. Corn meal is a staple in the Beninese diet. Beninese eat a variety of tropical fruits.
The main food is La Pate, bread made from various kinds of flour. La pate is dipped into sauces and eaten with the right hand. Many households eat porridge for breakfast made from millet, corn, yams or manioc. Gari is made of grated manioc which is enjoyed with peanut-cake snacks. Street vendors in southern towns sell deep-fried dumplings made from pounded bananas or beans.
Family
A marriage is considered the alliance of two families. In rural areas, the extended family lives in a compound of separate houses having a common courtyard. Polygamy is legal but not widely practiced. Benin women play leading roles in the home and make most decisions about home economics and child care.
Dating Customs
Dating and marriage customs in Benin reflect a rich blend of indigenous African traditions, Islamic practices, and influences introduced during the colonial period. The country's diverse ethnic groups — including the Fon, Yoruba, Bariba, and Somba — each maintain distinct courtship and marriage traditions, meaning practices can vary considerably from one region to another.
In many traditional communities, marriages are arranged between families rather than initiated solely by the individuals involved. Elders and parents play a central role in selecting suitable partners, with factors such as family reputation, social standing, and ethnic compatibility often carrying significant weight. A formal bride price, known locally as a "dot," is a customary practice in which the groom's family presents gifts, money, livestock, or goods to the bride's family as a gesture of respect and commitment. This exchange is considered an essential component of a legitimate union in many communities.
Polygamy is practiced and legally recognized in Benin, particularly in the northern regions where Islamic influence is stronger. A man may take multiple wives provided he can demonstrate the financial capacity to support each household. The minimum legal age for marriage is set at 18 for women and 21 for men under Beninese civil law, though child marriage remains a documented concern in rural areas, particularly affecting girls. Efforts by government agencies and international organizations have focused on improving enforcement of these legal protections and expanding girls' access to education as a preventative measure.
In urban centers such as Cotonou and Porto-Novo, younger generations increasingly approach relationships with greater personal agency, often choosing their own partners before seeking family approval. Civil ceremonies at a local registry office have become more common alongside traditional and religious ceremonies. For many couples, a full wedding celebration involves multiple events: a customary family gathering, a civil registration, and optionally a church or mosque ceremony.
Vodun spiritual beliefs, which are deeply embedded in Beninese culture, also intersect with marriage customs in southern Benin, where blessings from spiritual leaders or ceremonies at sacred sites may accompany a wedding.
Recreation
The national sport is soccer. Beninese enjoy traditional dancing. Electricity is not widely available in most villages - there people make their own form of fun.
Holidays
National Day
8/1Independence
Dates of Interest
- August 1st
How do people greet each other in Benin?
A proper greeting always precedes conversation, and people usually greet each other even if they are strangers. Men shake right hands, with the oldest person initiating the handshake.
Do
- Greet before starting any conversation
- Let the oldest person initiate the handshake
- Kneel in front of older family members as a sign of respect
- As a man, offer your hand first if you wish to shake hands with a woman
Good to know
- Muslims will ask about the other person's family
- Women shake hands with men only if the man offers his hand first
What are dining customs like in Benin?
Beninese prefer hot and spicy foods, with staples like corn meal and La Pate (bread made from various flours) dipped into sauces. Visitors are always offered a glass of water and expected to eat if it is mealtime.
Do
- Eat La Pate and dip it into sauces using your right hand
- Taste the food you are offered
- Accept the glass of water offered to visitors
Don’t
- Don't refuse to taste the food, as this is rude
Good to know
- You can politely decline the entire meal
- French cuisine is eaten in the north; fresh seafood is plentiful in the south
- Try tropical fruits, porridge, gari, or street-vendor deep-fried dumplings
What should I know about gestures and physical contact in Benin?
Public displays of affection are unacceptable, though friends often hold hands or touch while talking or walking.
Don’t
- Don't engage in public displays of affection
Good to know
- Hand-holding and touching between friends is normal
How should I dress in Benin?
Urban residents wear both western and traditional clothing, while rural women often wear a pagne. The boubou is popular with men and women but usually reserved for special occasions.
Good to know
- The boubou is typically worn only for special occasions
What is family life like in Benin?
Marriage is considered an alliance of two families, and rites of passage are highly important. In rural areas, extended families live in a compound of separate houses sharing a common courtyard.
Good to know
- Polygamy is legal but not widely practiced
- Women play leading roles in the home and make most decisions about home economics and child care
- Traditional weddings can last weeks
What do people do for recreation in Benin?
Soccer is the national sport, and Beninese also enjoy traditional dancing.
Good to know
- In villages without widely available electricity, people make their own form of fun
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Sources: CountryReports
Photos of Benin
Photos of Benin
Travel and Tourism
Travel and Tourism
- Travel Alert Status
- Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
- Currency
- 605.7
- Time Difference
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Climate
- Benin's climate is hot and humid. Annual rainfall in the coastal area averages 36 centimeters (14 inches), not particularly high for coastal West Africa. Benin has two rainy and two dry seasons. The principal rainy season is from April to late July, with a shorter less intense rainy period from late September to November. The main dry season is from December to April with a short cooler dry season from late July to early September. Temperatures and humidity are high along the tropical coast. In Cotonou, the average maximum temperature is 31°C (89°F); the minimum is 24°C (75°F). Variations in temperature increase when moving north through a savanna and plateau toward the Sahel. A dry wind from the Sahara called the harmattan blows from December to March. Grass dries up, the vegetation turns reddish-brown, and a veil of fine dust hangs over the country, causing the skies to be overcast.
- Airports
- 5
- Recommended Vaccinations
- How important is it to do your research about vaccinations? It might just save your life! Make yourself aware of the different types of vaccinations and which ones you may need to travel to your destination. Schedule an appointment with your doctor at least four to six weeks before you travel to ensure you receive all important shots. Be sure that you and your family are up to date on your routine vaccinations. Which vaccinations you need will depend on a number of factors including your destination, whether you will be spending time in rural areas, the season of the year you are traveling, your age, health status, and previous immunizations.
Read the full travel guide — health, safety, vaccinations, disease risk, sanitation, and transit details.
View full travel guideRecipes
Recipes
History
History
Historical Eras
Dahomey Kingdom
1600 – 1894
The Kingdom of Dahomey, centered at Abomey, rose as one of West Africa's most powerful states, expanding aggressively under kings such as Ghezo and Glele. The kingdom built its wealth partly through the Atlantic slave trade, exchanging captives with Portuguese, Dutch, and French merchants at coastal ports including Ouidah and Porto-Novo. King Behanzin led fierce resistance against French encroachment before being defeated and deported to Martinique in 1894.
French Colonial Era
1894 – 1960
Following the conquest of Dahomey, France consolidated the territory into French West Africa, extending administrative control northward to absorb the kingdoms of Parakou, Nikki, and Kandi. A French governor ruled from Cotonou, and the colony's economy was oriented toward export agriculture and labor extraction. On December 4, 1958, it became the self-governing République du Dahomey within the French Community, a transitional status preceding full independence.
Independence & Instability
1960 – 1972
Full independence was achieved on August 1, 1960, with Hubert Maga as the first president, but the new republic proved highly unstable. Between 1960 and 1972, a succession of at least six military coups cycled power among competing regional and ethnic factions, making sustained democratic governance impossible. No civilian government managed to complete a full term, reflecting deep structural tensions inherited from the colonial period.
Marxist-Leninist State
1972 – 1990
Major Mathieu Kérékou seized power in October 1972 and by 1975 had renamed the country the People's Republic of Benin, establishing a single-party state under the Parti de la Révolution Populaire du Bénin (PRPB). The government nationalized key industries, pursued socialist development programs, and maintained authoritarian control throughout the late Cold War period. Economic deterioration and pressure from France and international creditors ultimately forced Kérékou to abandon Marxism-Leninism by 1989.
Democratic Transition
1990 – 2006
A landmark national conference in 1990 produced a new democratic constitution and restored the name Republic of Benin. The 1991 elections brought former Prime Minister Nicéphore Soglo to the presidency, marking the first successful peaceful transfer of power from a dictatorship to a democracy on the African continent. Kérékou subsequently returned to power through elections in 1996 and 2001, while Soglo served as Mayor of Cotonou, reflecting a competitive if sometimes contentious democratic system.
Modern Benin
2006 – present
The 2006 election of Thomas Boni Yayi, a political outsider and former regional bank president, signaled a generational shift away from the Kérékou-Soglo era and demonstrated the consolidation of Benin's democratic institutions. Benin has since been regarded as one of West Africa's more stable multiparty democracies, though challenges of poverty, corruption, and youth unemployment persist. Patrice Talon, a cotton magnate, won the presidency in 2016 and again in 2021, overseeing contentious political reforms that critics argue have narrowed democratic space.
Overview
Between 1960 and 1972, a succession of military coups brought about many changes of government. The last of these brought to power Major Mathieu Kérékou as the head of a regime professing strict Marxist-Leninist principles. The Revolutionary Party of the People of Benin (PRPB) remained in complete power until the beginning of the 1990s. Kérékou, encouraged by France and other democratic powers, convened a national conference that introduced a new democratic constitution and held presidential and legislative elections. Kérékou’s principal opponent at the presidential poll, and the ultimate victor, was Prime Minister Nicéphore Soglo. Supporters of Soglo also secured a majority in the National Assembly. Benin was thus the first African country to effect successfully the transition from dictatorship to a pluralistic political system. In the second round of National Assembly elections held in March 1995, Soglo’s political vehicle, the Parti de la Renaissance du Benin, was the largest single party but lacked an overall majority. The success of a party formed by supporters of ex-president Kérékou, who had officially retired from active politics, encouraged him to stand successfully at both the 1996 and 2001 presidential elections. During the 2001 elections, however, alleged irregularities and dubious practices led to a boycott of the run-off poll by the main opposition candidates. The four top-ranking contenders following the first round presidential elections were Mathieu Kérékou (incumbent) 45.4%, Nicephore Soglo (former president) 27.1%, Adrien Houngbedji (National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno Amoussou (Minister of State) 8.6%. The second round balloting, originally scheduled for March 18, 2001, was postponed for days because both Soglo and Houngbedji withdrew, alleging electoral fraud. This left Kérékou to run against his own Minister of State, Amoussou, in what was termed a "friendly match." In December 2002, Benin held its first municipal elections since before the institution of Marxism-Leninism. The process was smooth with the significant exception of the 12th district council for Cotonou, the contest that would ultimately determine who would be selected for the mayoralty of the capital city. That vote was marred by irregularities, and the electoral commission was forced to repeat that single election. Nicephore Soglo’s Renaisance du Benin (RB) party won the new vote, paving the way for the former president to be elected Mayor of Cotonou by the new city council in February 2002. National Assembly elections took place in March 2003 and were generally considered to be free and fair. Although there were some irregularities, these were not significant and did not greatly disrupt the proceedings or the results. These elections resulted in a loss of seats by RB--the primary opposition party. The other opposition parties, the Party for Democratic Renewal (PRD) led by the former Prime Minister Adrien Houngbedji and the Alliance Etoile (AE), have joined the government coalition. RB currently holds 15 of the National Assembly’s 83 seats. The March 2006 election for the presidency should provide some fresh faces to the electorate for consideration. President Kérékou is barred from the 2006 presidential elections under the 1990 constitution due to term and age limits (former president Nicephore Soglo is also barred by age). President Kérékou recently confirmed that he will not attempt to revise the constitution and stand for the 2006 elections. The laws pertaining to the upcoming elections have been passed, though an attempt by the National Assembly to add a residency requirement (thought to target a specific potential candidate) was rejected by the Constitutional Court.
Timeline of Key Events
1851
Treaty of friendship and trade
France signed a treaty of friendship and trade with the ruler of Porto-Novo, who was a vassal of Dahomey’s King Glélé
1899
French West Africa
Dahomey is incorporated into French West Africa
1946
Overseas Territory of France
Dahomey becomes an overseas territory of France.
1958
Self Governing
Dahomey becomes self-governing, within the French Community.
1960
President Hubert Maga
Elections won by the Parti Dahomeen de L’Unite. Party leader Hubert Maga becomes country’s first president.
1960
French West Africa
Independence is proclaimed and the following month Dahomey was admitted to the United Nations (UN).
1963
Four Coups in six years
The first president, Hubert Maga, was ousted in 1963 by the army commander Chief of Staff, Colonel Christophe Soglo, and a series of four coups followed in the next six years.
Read the full history profile — narrative overview, defining eras, and the complete timeline in one place.
View expanded historyInteresting Facts
Interesting Facts
When a child loses a tooth , if they lose an upper tooth, they throw it on the roof. If they lose a lower tooth, they dig a hole and bury it in the ground. Their grandmother says that if a lizard sees their tooth, a new one will not grow, so they are carful to keep it hidden until it is burried.
Benin has the world's fewest hospitals per capita with three per 10,000 people.
See every fact — trivia, oddities, and curious tidbits gathered from across the country.
View all interesting factsGeography and Environment
Geography and Environment
- Terrain
- mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
- Climate
- Benin's climate is hot and humid. Annual rainfall in the coastal area averages 36 centimeters (14 inches), not particularly high for coastal West Africa. Benin has two rainy and two dry seasons. The principal rainy season is from April to late July, with a shorter less intense rainy period from late September to November. The main dry season is from December to April with a short cooler dry season from late July to early September. Temperatures and humidity are high along the tropical coast. In Cotonou, the average maximum temperature is 31°C (89°F); the minimum is 24°C (75°F). Variations in temperature increase when moving north through a savanna and plateau toward the Sahel. A dry wind from the Sahara called the harmattan blows from December to March. Grass dries up, the vegetation turns reddish brown, and a veil of fine dust hangs over the country, causing the skies to be overcast.
- Natural Hazards
- hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March
- Current Environmental Issues
- inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
Read the full geography and environment profile — terrain, climate, natural resources, hazards, land use, and international agreements.
View full geographyPeople & Demographics
People & Demographics
Religion
Languages Spoken
French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in the south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in the north)
- French
- Yoruba
Population
- Population
- 13,712,828
- Population in Major Urban Areas
- COTONOU (seat of government) 924,000; PORTO-NOVO (capital) 314,000
- Nationality Noun
- Beninese (singular and plural)
- Ethnic Groups
- African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500
Education
- Literacy Definition
- Age 15 and over can read and write
Health Information
- Life Expectancy at Birth
- Life expectancy at birth in Benin stands at approximately 61 to 63 years overall, with women typically outliving men by a modest margin. Female life expectancy hovers around 63 to 64 years, while male life expectancy falls closer to 60 to 62 years. These figures reflect significant improvements over the past several decades but still place Benin below the global average, which exceeds 73 years. Several interconnected factors shape these numbers. Access to clean drinking water remains inconsistent in rural areas, contributing to preventable waterborne illnesses. Malaria is one of the leading causes of death, particularly among children under the age of five, and it continues to place a heavy burden on the country's health system. Maternal mortality is also a concern, though rates have declined as more women gain access to skilled birth attendants and prenatal care services. Benin has made measurable progress in extending life expectancy over recent decades. In the early 1980s, life expectancy at birth was closer to 47 to 48 years, meaning the country has added more than fifteen years of average lifespan within a generation. This improvement is linked to expanded vaccination programs, investments in primary health care infrastructure, and international health initiatives targeting infectious diseases. The country faces ongoing challenges, including a relatively young and rapidly growing population that strains healthcare resources, limited numbers of trained medical professionals per capita, and geographic disparities between urban centers like Cotonou and more isolated northern regions. Poverty also plays a direct role, as lower-income households have reduced access to preventive care, medications, and nutritious food. Despite these challenges, Benin's trajectory shows a pattern of gradual improvement. Continued investment in public health infrastructure, maternal and child health programs, and disease prevention efforts will be essential in sustaining and accelerating gains in life expectancy in the years ahead.
- Major Infectious Diseases — degree of risk
- Very high
Life Expectancy
- Life Expectancy at Birth
- Life expectancy at birth in Benin stands at approximately 61 to 63 years overall, with women typically outliving men by a modest margin. Female life expectancy hovers around 63 to 64 years, while male life expectancy falls closer to 60 to 62 years. These figures reflect significant improvements over the past several decades but still place Benin below the global average, which exceeds 73 years. Several interconnected factors shape these numbers. Access to clean drinking water remains inconsistent in rural areas, contributing to preventable waterborne illnesses. Malaria is one of the leading causes of death, particularly among children under the age of five, and it continues to place a heavy burden on the country's health system. Maternal mortality is also a concern, though rates have declined as more women gain access to skilled birth attendants and prenatal care services. Benin has made measurable progress in extending life expectancy over recent decades. In the early 1980s, life expectancy at birth was closer to 47 to 48 years, meaning the country has added more than fifteen years of average lifespan within a generation. This improvement is linked to expanded vaccination programs, investments in primary health care infrastructure, and international health initiatives targeting infectious diseases. The country faces ongoing challenges, including a relatively young and rapidly growing population that strains healthcare resources, limited numbers of trained medical professionals per capita, and geographic disparities between urban centers like Cotonou and more isolated northern regions. Poverty also plays a direct role, as lower-income households have reduced access to preventive care, medications, and nutritious food. Despite these challenges, Benin's trajectory shows a pattern of gradual improvement. Continued investment in public health infrastructure, maternal and child health programs, and disease prevention efforts will be essential in sustaining and accelerating gains in life expectancy in the years ahead.
Read the full people and society profile — demographics, health, education, religion, languages, and notable people.
View full people and societyGovernment & Politics
Government & Politics
Country Identity
- Country Name
- Benin
- Full Country Name
- Republic of Benin
- Local - Long
- Republique du Benin
- Local - Short
- Benin
- Former Name
- Dahomey
Government Structure
- Government Type
- republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991
- Legal System
- based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
- Executive Branch
- chief of state: President Patrice TALON (since 6 April 2016); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Patrice TALON (since 6 April 2016); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 April 2021 (next to be held in 2026) election results: Patrice TALON reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Patrice TALON 86.3%, Alassane SOUMANOU 11.4%, Corentin KOHOUE 2.3%
- Legislative Branch
- Unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) Elections: last held on 8 January 2023 (next to be held in 2027) Election results: percent of vote by party - Union Progressiste le Renouveau (UP le Renouveau) 37.6%, Bloc Republicain (BR) 29.2%, Les Democrates 23.8%, other parties 9.4%; seats by party - Union Progressiste le Renouveau 53, Bloc Republicain 28, Les Democrates 28
- Judicial Branch
- Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
- Constitution
- Dec-90
- Independence
- 1 August 1960 (from France)
- National Holiday
- National Day, 1 August (1960)
Capital City
- Capital Name
- Porto-Novo (constitutional capital); Cotonou (seat of government)
- Capital - geographic coordinate
- 6 29 N, 2 37 E
- Capital Time Difference
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
the name Porto-Novo is Portuguese for "new port"; Cotonou means "by the river of death" in the native Fon language
Military
Branches: Benin Armed Forces (Forces Armees Beninoises, FAB): Army (l'Arme de Terre), Benin Navy (Forces Navales Beninois, FNB), Benin Air Force (Force Aerienne du Benin, FAB)
Embassy / Diplomatic Mission
Embassy Cotonou
Address: The Embassy is located at Rue Caporal Bernard Anani in Cotonou. The Embassy's mailing address is B.P. 2012, Cotonou, Benin.
Telephone: The 24-hour telephone numbers are (229) 21-30-06-50, 21-30-05-13, and 21-30-17-92.
Facsimile: (229) 21-30-66-82.
Read the full government profile — flag symbolism, national anthem, and other national symbols.
View full government detailsEconomy
Economy
Benin's economy remains largely dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade, particularly with neighboring Nigeria. Real GDP growth has been robust in recent years, reaching approximately 6.4% in 2023 and an estimated 6.5% in 2024, making Benin one of the stronger performers in West Africa. Growth has been supported by sustained public investment, port activity, and a resilient agricultural sector, though rapid population growth continues to offset many of these gains in per capita terms. Inflation has eased from the spikes seen during 2022–2023, falling closer to 1–2% in 2024, although global commodity price pressures and regional instability in the Sahel continue to pose intermittent risks.
To accelerate development, Benin has pursued an ambitious reform agenda under its Government Action Program (PAG), focusing on attracting foreign direct investment, expanding tourism infrastructure, modernizing agricultural value chains, and developing digital economy initiatives. A notable structural shift has been the launch of the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ), which is driving local processing of cotton, cashews, and soybeans rather than raw commodity exports. Ongoing efforts to improve the business climate have yielded measurable progress, with the country working to streamline regulations and reduce barriers to private sector activity.
The government has continued to advance privatization and liberalization in key sectors including telecommunications, energy, and logistics, centered in part on the strategic role of the Port of Cotonou as a regional trade hub. The prolonged closure of the Niger border following the 2023 coup in Niamey has disrupted transit trade and weighed on customs revenue, although diversification of trade corridors has partially mitigated the impact. External debt remains elevated, at roughly 54% of GDP, though Benin maintains active engagement with the IMF through an Extended Fund Facility and Extended Credit Facility arrangement supporting fiscal consolidation and structural reform. Poverty reduction remains a central policy priority, with significant portions of the population still relying on informal and subsistence livelihoods.
Snapshot
- Currency Name and Code
- Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF)
- GDP — official exchange rate
- $4,340,000,000 (USD)
- GDP Real Growth Rate
- 6.4%
Banknotes
Budget & Public Finance
- Fiscal Year
- calendar year
- Annual Budget
- $1,017,000,000 (USD)
- External Debt
- $1,600,000,000 (USD)
- Investment (% of GDP)
- 20.1%
- Economic Aid
- $342,600,000 (USD)
- Current Account Balance
- -$155,100,000 (USD)
Labor, Industry & Trade
- Industries
- textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction materials
- Agriculture Products
- cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock
- Export Commodities
- cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa
- Export Partners
- India 27.3%, Italy 12.1%, Indonesia 8.1%, China 7.6%, Thailand 7.1%, UK 5.1%, Niger 4.5%
- Import Commodities
- foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products
- Import Partners
- China 30%, France 15.3%, UK 4.7%, Italy 4.1%
Energy
- Oil Production
- 400 bbl/day
- Oil Consumption
- 12,000 bbl/day
- Oil Reserves
- 4,105,000 bbl/day
- Natural Gas Production
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Consumption
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Imports
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Exports
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Reserves
- 1,218,000,000 cu m
Communications
- Telephone System
- General Assessment: an inadequate system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections; fixed-line network characterized by aging, deteriorating equipment Domestic: fixed-line teledensity is only about 2 per 100 persons; spurred by the presence of multiple mobile-cellular providers, cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly International: country code - 229; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; long-distance fiber-optic links with Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean)
- Internet Country Code
- .bj
News & Weather
News & Weather
Current Weather
Latest News
WP228: Institutional trust and citizen participation in Benin - Afrobarometer
Afrobarometer · 23h ago
Underwater drones discover coral reefs off Benin, long presumed dead, teeming with life - Frontiers
Frontiers · 9d ago
Long Presumed Dead, a West African Reef Is Found Thriving - Yale E360
Yale E360 · 7d ago
Take a visual tour of the city of Cotonou, Benin - Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica · 4d ago
The Living Language of Benin: Art, History, and Cultural Repair - ART AFRICA Magazine
ART AFRICA Magazine · 21h ago
Edo orders immediate repairs after haulage equipment damages Benin bypass - The Nigerian Observer
The Nigerian Observer · 9h ago
Benin Airport Closure Keeps Air Peace, United Nigeria Flights Suspended - Airways Magazine
Airways Magazine · 3d ago
Benin to host ICASA 2027 - Modern Ghana
Modern Ghana · 13h ago
News via Google News
Climate Overview
Benin's climate is hot and humid. Annual rainfall in the coastal area averages 36 centimeters (14 inches), not particularly high for coastal West Africa. Benin has two rainy and two dry seasons. The principal rainy season is from April to late July, with a shorter less intense rainy period from late September to November. The main dry season is from December to April with a short cooler dry season from late July to early September.
Temperatures and humidity are high along the tropical coast. In Cotonou, the average maximum temperature is 31°C (89°F); the minimum is 24°C (75°F). Variations in temperature increase when moving north through a savanna and plateau toward the Sahel. A dry wind from the Sahara called the harmattan blows from December to March. Grass dries up, the vegetation turns reddish-brown, and a veil of fine dust hangs over the country, causing the skies to be overcast.
Videos
Videos
1 curated YouTube videos.
Source: YouTube
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
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Last reviewed 2026