|RNature and climate:|N Coastline with lagoonlakes and mangroveswamps. In the south cultivated and in the north a savannahplateau with several game reserves.
Percipitation 1000 mm.
Average temperature between 25°C and 30°C the whole year throughout the nation.
|RPeople:|N Mostly Sudannegroes of different tribes.
|REconomy:|N Rich on natural resources, but still a poor country. Agriculture occupies 45% of the population. Most important crops are maize, root vegetables, beans and millet. For export also oilpalms, cotton, coffee, cacao and peanuts.
Manufacturing of the domestic resources has been developed in the last decades.
|RHistory:|N From the 14th century Benin was a vast kingdom, Abomay, that in the 17th and 18th centuries delivered slaves.
Conquered by France 1892 and made a colony under French Westafrica. Internal selfgoverning from 1958 and independence 1960 under the name Dahomey.
After several coups Mathieu Kerehou gained power in 1972 and proclaimed a Marxist-Leninist state. The name was altered to Benin in 1975.
In 1989 the Marxism-Leninism was abandoned and in 1991 the first presidential elections in 30 years were held.
