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Introduction
Benin (in French, Benin; officially, Republic of Benin, République du Bénin) is a country in the west of Africa. Borders with Togo to West, Nigeria to the east and with Burkina faso Y Niger to the north.
Understand
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For centuries, these lands were dominated by the Dahomey Kingdom until they were subdued by French colonial troops. Although it suffered various tragedies and conflicts in its history, today Benin is one of the most politically stable countries in Africa and it is taking measures to improve the living conditions of its inhabitants.
Benin still has memories of its time of regional rule. You can venture into the hinterlands of the country and find the abandoned palaces and temples of one of the most powerful empires in West Africa. In Porto Novo, the official capital, there is still the painful record of its use as a port for the shipment of slaves to Brazil and the Caribbean, while in Cotonou there is modern Africa, with its chaotic traffic and its lively nightlife. You can learn about Beninese culture and discover the origins of the voodoo, still practiced by local communities, or go into the markets with heads and skins of wild animals for sale. You can also tour the natural parks of the north or the lagoons of the south with their stilt houses.
History
The Portuguese came to the territory of Benin in the 15th century and established important trading posts in the coastal areas of Benin. Shortly after the Portuguese arrived French, Dutch and British merchants. Over time, the Benin coastline became the largest slave trade center in Africa, led by the Fon people, who founded the Kingdom of Dahomey, a highly militaristic kingdom that actively sold its neighboring peoples to Europeans. As the slave trade increased in volume (between 10,000 and 20,000 slaves sent per day), the coast of Benin became known as the Slave Coast. Around this time, the port cities of Porto-Novo and Ouidah were founded and quickly became the largest and most commercially active cities in the country, while Abomey became the capital of Dahomey.
| Capital | Porto-Novo |
| Currency | West African CFA Franc (XOF) |
| Population | 11.1 million (2017) |
| Electricity | 220 volts / 50 hertz (European plug, type E) |
| Country code | 229 |
| Time zone | UTC 01: 00 |
| Emergencies | 112 (emergency medical services), 117 (police), 118 (fire department) |
| Driving side | straight |
| edit on Wikidata | |
The fall of the Kingdom of Dahomey was precipitated by the prohibition of slavery throughout Europe in the mid-19th century, followed by the French annexation of territory under colonial rule. Much of Dahomey's leadership broke even at annexation, being appointed to top government posts in all French colonies in West Africa. In 1960, Dahomey gained its independence, under the name République du Dahomey, which triggered a long and destabilizing series of coups d'état. In the span of just a decade, 1960-1972, the government changed hands nine times and experienced four violent coups.
In 1972, Major Mathieu Kérékou, a staunch Marxist, organized the fourth of the military coups and changed the name of the country to the People's Republic of Benin. The Kérékou regime was more successful in maintaining power and reorganized the country according to its interpretation of the Maoist model. In 1989, the French government, in exchange for financial support to Benin's ailing economy, persuaded the Benin government to abandon its one-party socialist regime and move to a multi-party republic. In 1990, the country was renamed the Republic of Benin, and in 1991, Benin held its first free elections with significant success, with Kereku losing to Nicephore Soglo; thus, Benin was the first African nation to successfully coordinate a peaceful transfer of power from a dictatorship to a functional democracy. Soglo remained president until 1996,
Benin remains an extremely poor country, suffering from poverty and corruption. The infrastructure remains in very poor condition and the struggling economy is recovering after decades of political instability.
Weather
The equatorial south of Benin experiences two rainy seasons a year, from April to mid-July and from mid-September to late October. The rainy period in the subequatorial north runs from March to October. The best time of year to visit the country is from November to February, when the temperature is moderate and the climate is dry with little humidity.
Geography
Benin, compared to its neighbors, is geographically smaller, at 112,620km² or similar in size to Honduras or the US state of Ohio. The country is basically divided into five geographical zones, from south to north: the coastal plain, the plateau, the high plateau and the savannah, the hills in the northwest, and the fertile plains in the north.
People
The nation is made up of more than 60 ethnic groups. The main tribes include Fon (40%), Aja (15%) and Yoruba (12%) in the south of the country, and Bariba (9%), Somba (8%) and Fulbe (6%). in the north.
The most widespread religion is Christianity (43%), predominantly in the south, and Islam in the north (24%). What is most interesting for many visitors, however, is the strong influence of Vodun in Benin, practiced as the main religion by a good 18% of the population, and which was spread throughout the world largely by the large number of exported slaves. for the Kingdom of Dahomey. .
Holidays
- 1 of January New Year
- January 10: Traditional Day (Fête de Vodoun)
- August 1: Independence Day
- October 26: Armed Forces Day
- November 1: All Saints' Day
- November 30: National Holiday
- 25th December, Christmas
- December 26: Boxing Day
Regions
| North | |
 | Malanville Natitingou Parakou Pendjari ParkThe north of the country is an arid land, with a low population. Here you can enjoy the African wildlife, knowing large reserves of elephants, lions and crocodiles in the Pendjari Park or the National Park W shared with Burkina Faso and Niger. In the Atakora Mountains, you can find some villages that maintain their centuries-old traditions. |
| South | |
 | Abomey Cotonou Grand popo Porto Novo The heart of the country is along the Atlantic coast. You can see the ancient and simple Dahomeyan palaces of Abomey, World Heritage Site, or the museums of Porto Novo that show the native customs of the country and its painful history associated with slavery. In Cotonou You can meet the Beninese people and enjoy their customs. |
To get
Visas
Citizens of all African countries and Macao can enter Benin without a visa for up to 90 days. Hong Kong citizens can also enjoy a visa-free visa for 14 days.
Visas can be single entry ($ 40) or multiple entry ($ 45) and last 30 days. Visas cost USD 140 for US citizens. In Paris, a single entry visa costs € 70 for all EU citizens.
Citizens of all countries can apply for eVisa online.
- A visa for a month-long stay obtained from the Benin Consulate in London costs £ 70.
By plane
There are many international flights arriving at the main Cotonou airport. From here you can connect to Paris, Istanbul, Brussels, Tunis, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Kigali. and a variety of cities in West and Central Africa. To enter the country, you will need proof that you have been vaccinated against yellow fever, and this will need to be available at the airport.
By train
There are no international train services to Benin.
By car
There are land crossings with all neighboring countries, but due to the conflict, it is only recommended to cross the two coastal borders with Togo and Nigeria.
Travel
By bus
There is an extremely timely and reliable bus system that generally operates a tourist-style bus through all major cities in Benin every day, and even some international services in and out of Benin. There are many major lines with a range of quality buses. The main systems are Comfort Lines Y Benin-Routes . Comfort Lines seems to offer more variety of routes, and you even get some water and a little sandwich for long trips. Reservations for Confort Lines can be made in advance for CFA 500 at any regional office or by calling 229 21-325815. The bus lines go through: Porto-Novo, Cotonou, Calavey, Bohicon, Dassau, Parakou, Djougou, Natitingou, Tanguieta, Kandi and even to Malanville.
The buses run on the two main paved roads that go north to south, and you can make the bus stop at any point you would like to get off and for different fares. It is not necessary to discuss prices with the bus as they use fixed rates. To give you an idea of the prices, buses from Cotonou to Natitingou (or vice versa) cost 7,500 CFA one way, and from Cotonou to Parakou (or vice versa) cost 5,500 CFA. These are examples, because there are also buses that go to Tanguieta and Malanville.
By bush taxi
Bush Taxi is possible between most cities, every day in the main cities, periodically for the most remote ones. The total price for long distances will be slightly higher than for the bus, and comfort and safety will be significantly lower. Drivers often try to maximize the number of people in the car so that one can expect an intimate experience with the local people. However, taxis offer flexibility that bus systems do not offer; You can always find a taxi fairly quickly (at the autogarres). For trips of 3 hours (approximately 150 km) or less, a city taxi may be a more flexible and reasonable option. However, unlike buses, prices must be discussed in advance. The cost depends on the destination and the price of gas. Ask other passengers what they are paying for and always try to pay on arrival, although the latter is not always possible. A decent option for travelers not trying to go on a budget is to buy all the seats in a taxi, or at least all the seats in a row. Not only does it avoid having to wait until the taxi driver has filled all the seats, it is much more comfortable than being crammed with a lot of sweaty people. If you do this, you will usually have to give the driver some money up front so he can buy gas on the road.
By car
Hired drivers cost more and is the typical mode of transportation for foreigners. The price depends on the driver and a local (Beninois) to help negotiate is recommended. For example, a three-hour car ride from the south central region along the main highway costs 30,000-40,000 CFA if the car is rented, but a city taxi would cost 5,000-10,000 CFA.
Traffic is chaotic and traffic rules are rarely enforced. If you plan to drive yourself in Benin, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is required. Traffic flows on the right side of the road like in the US and Canada.
It is recommended to hire a local guide.
Police checkpoints at night occur regularly and traveling alone with a driver (especially a woman) can put the driver in an awkward position by explaining and / or bribing the police.
It is recommended to travel by car only between the main cities. For example, to travel from Cotonou to Porto Novo or from Cotonou to Abomey. Traveling by car within the city is not recommended due to the fact that it is simply unnecessary and uneconomical.
It is recommended to travel with a local as much as possible, mainly from an economic point of view. Also, driving yourself by car is not a good idea. The roads are mostly hard sand, with some main roads paved in cities and on the roads between major cities.
On motorcycle
The cheapest way to travel within a city or town is by mototaxi (moto, zemidjan or zem). They are cheap and drivers tend to know the city well. An average trip costs between 100 and 300 CFA, and they are easily recognizable by their colored shirts to match their identification numbers. Prices must be discussed in advance and payment is made on arrival. Remember the driver's identification number as you would a taxi driver's ID in New York City, just in case. Choose your driver carefully, drinking and driving in Benin is very common and motorcycle drivers are sometimes involved in criminal networks in major cities.
Motorcycles have colors for different cities (for example): Cotonou: yellow Natitingou: green with yellow shoulders or light blue with yellow shoulders Kandi: light blue with yellow shoulders Parakou: yellow with green shoulders Kérou: green with yellow shoulders
Boat
There are many pirogues (kayak / canoe) used for the fishing industry. Normally you can use a canoe to visit the villages on the lake.
By train
There is a train route that runs through half the country, from Cotonou to Parakou, managed by L'Organisation Commune Benin-Niger des Chemins de Fer et Transports (2132 2206). While the train takes longer than a taxi, it is a much more relaxing way to travel. First class tickets are only slightly more expensive than second class and are worth the extra expense. The train leaves Cotonou three times a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) at 8 a.m. Specifically, it arrives in Parakou around 6:30 p.m., and returns the next day, it leaves at 8 a.m. from Parakou train station and arrive at 6:30 p.m. to Cotonou. The first class costs 5,600 CFA, while the second class costs 4,000 CFA.
Trains on these times will generally stop at Bohicon, which is 4 hours from Cotonou. The fare costs 1400 CFA for the first class and 1100 CFA for the second.
A tour company also rents colonial period trains for multi-day tourist trips at expensive prices, but good value for money (50,000 CFA)
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To buy
Money
| CFA Franc Exchange Rates As of January 2020:
Exchange rates fluctuate. Current rates for these and other currencies are available on XE.com |
The country's currency is Frank CFA of West Africa , called CFA (ISO currency code: XOF ). It is also used by seven other West African countries. It is interchangeable on a par with the Central African CFA Franc (XAF), which is used by six countries. Both currencies are fixed at an exchange rate of 1 euro = 655,957 CFA francs.
The West African CFA franc will be renamed "eco" at the end of 2020. It would continue to be pegged to the euro.
There are banks in major cities and most banks have ATMs. Be aware that many businesses and offices, including banks, close for several hours in the middle of the day.
The prices of products bought in a store, restaurant, hotel, bus tickets, etc. They are not negotiable, but almost everything else is. Depending on the item, it is not uncommon for foreigners to be quoted a price that is twice the final purchase price.
Any type of African product can be found throughout Benin.
ATM machines
- MasterCard / Visa can be used to withdraw cash at ATMs in Ecobank , Banque Atlantique, BIBE and SGB.
Eat and drink
To eat
In every city / town you will find street vendors selling everything from beans and rice to grilled chicken, goat and / or turkey. The prices are nominal. But you have to be careful, always choose a vendor whose food is still hot, and who have taken care to keep the bowls covered with a lid and / or cloth.
Signature dishes
- Kuli-Kuli
- Boulets de Poulet avec Sauce Rough (Chicken Meatballs with Red Sauce)
To drink
Beer is cheap and good! The local pubs ( buvettes ) are on every corner of every neighborhood. You can get a bottle of local beer "La Béninoise", Heineken, Guinness, Castel and others depending on the bar. All cost around 250 CFA for a small bottle or 500 CFA for a large bottle. In the clubs, beer is excessively expensive, like 30,000 CFA francs a bottle! So stick to the local pubs or avoid buying beer at the nightclub. There is also the local vin de palme (palm wine), an alcoholic beverage that is made from the sap of the palm tree. A fermented palm liqueur (Sodabi) is also available, it costs around 2000 CFA per liter and is very strong.
external links
Wikipedia has an article on Benin.w: Benin
Wikimedia Commons houses multimedia content about Benin. Commons
