Benin is a small West African country club-shaped.

Benin has a population of about 7.4 million inhabitants. The economy depends mainly on subsistence agriculture (38% of gross domestic product). The average life expectancy is 45 years. The women have on average 5.9 children each. Almost 50% of the population is under 14 years old.

In Benin home to many ethnic groups, among these 5 groups form 50% of the population (Fon, Yoruba, Bariba, Betamaribè and Fula).

 

The official language of Benin is French, but we speak a multitude of indigenous languages​​. The administrative capital is Porto Novo, but the most important city and is populated Cotonou Agreement, which overlooks the Gulf of Guinea. The currency is the CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) with a value of 0,655 Euro.

L 'independence of Benin in 1960, in the following decade several coups followed one another until the coming to power of Mathieu Kérékou in 1972. Since then, his dictatorship ruled Benin, with few breaks, until 2006. Currently under the leadership of Boni Yayi, Benin is considered one of the most stable democracies in West Africa.

 

About 30% of the population is Christian, 20% is Muslim, and though most of the population adheres to traditional beliefs.

Benin is also considered the birthplace of voodoo, very practiced also by members of other religions.

The south of the country, the area around Cotonou, is the richest part, relying on the proceeds of tourism and trade. In North instead there is only a subsistence economy and malnutrition among children is widespread.

 

"If you want to change the future you change yourself" Yayi Boni

 

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