Benin

Benin is a country in Africa with its capital in Porto-Novo and about 14.8 million people. Dahomey is remembered for its elite women soldiers of the 1700s and 1800s: trained combat troops, not ceremonial guards, and a large part of the royal army.

Benin in purple, with Porto-Novo marked. Outline from the same detailed coastlines the games use.

Capital: Porto-Novo
Continent: Africa
Population (2025): 14.8 million
Land area: 112,760 km² (43,537 sq mi)

Find it among 54 Africa countries →Explore Benin on the map

The story of Benin

Where the name comes from

Benin was named in 1975 after the Bight of Benin, itself named for a kingdom in today’s Nigeria, outside the modern country.

First people

Fon, Yoruba and other peoples built kingdoms here, including Dahomey, founded in the 1600s.¹

Known for

Dahomey is remembered for its elite women soldiers of the 1700s and 1800s: trained combat troops, not ceremonial guards, and a large part of the royal army.²

Outside contact

France made Dahomey a colony in 1894.^3,4

The modern country

It became independent in 1960 and returned to multiparty democracy after a national conference in 1990.³

Benin

The story of Benin

Where the name comes from

First people

Known for

Outside contact

The modern country

Nearby countries

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Sources