Country Profile: Benin

Last reviewed: 3 January 2008

Country information

Area: 112,622 sq km
Population: 8.4 million (2005 United Nations estimate)
Capital City: Porto-Novo (population 237,000), is the official capital, but nearby Cotonou is the country’s largest city.
People: Fon and Adja Yoruba and 40 other ethnic groups
Languages: French (official), Fon, Yoruba, and other African languages are spoken
Religion: Indigenous beliefs, Christian and Muslim
Currency: Franc CFA
Major political parties: Parti Sociale Democrate (PSD), Renaissance du Benin (RB), Parti du Renouveau democratique (PRD), Mouvement africain pour la democratie et le progres (MADEP), Force Cowrie for an Emerging Benin (FCBE)
Head of State: Dr Boni Yayi
Foreign Minister: Moussa Okania
Membership of international organisations: United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Union Economique et Monetaire ouest - africaine (UEMOA), Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC)