Destination : BENIN

Dahomey gained its independence from France in 1960; the name was changed to Benin in 1975. From 1974 to 1989 the country was a socialist state; free elections were reestablished in 1991.

Benin is an independent republic, with a democratic government, which lies on the Gulf of Guinea and forms part of the West African Region. The country has two capitals: Porto Novo (admin) and Cotonou (seat of the government). Other major cities are Abomey and Kandi. The population of Benin was estimated at: 5,560,000 in 1995

The official language is French and various local languages (Hausa in the north and the languages of the Fon and the Yoruba in the south) are also spoken. The local currency is the CFA-Franc. Improved management and political stability is helping Benin to keep up an annual growth rate of around 5% in spite of economic underdevelopment and dependency on subsistence agriculture, cotton production and regional trade.

The economy of Benin encourages free trade. The Benin oil industry and mining industry are two key elements in the economy of the country. Electricity is provided by the parastatal utility Societe Beninoise d'Electricite et d'Eau (SBEE). Agriculture, Commerce and Transportation make up the largest proportion of the GNP. The manufacturing sector in Benin contributed 7% to the country's GDP in 1995 and focuses around the agricultural industry, processing products and manufacturing consumer goods and construction materials. The cement and oil refining industries make up the only heavy industry of Benin.
 

 

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