The Republic of Benin is a nation in West Africa that’s bordered by Togo, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Niger and has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean.
The nation covers 44,310 sq. miles (114,763 sq. kilometers) and has a inhabitants of about 13 million. The realm was referred to as the slave coast of Africa due to the excessive variety of enslaved individuals who handed via the nation on the best way to North America.
Benin Fundamentals
It was a French colony that turned the Republic of Dahomey in 1958 and was absolutely impartial in 1960. The identify was modified to the Folks’s Republic of Benin after a coup in 1975, and have become the Republic of Benin in 1991.
The capital of Benin is Porto-Novo, and the most important metropolis is Cotonou, which is the place the seat of presidency is whereas Porto-Novo is the constitutional capital. The official language is French however many different languages are spoken there as nicely. Most individuals within the nation stay close to the coast.
The economic system relies on agriculture and it exports cotton and palm oil.
The identify Benin comes from the Bight (or Bay) of Benin, which is the identify for the water that borders the nation. The identify Benin in flip comes from the Kingdom of Benin, which was really positioned in what’s now Nigeria and has no connection to the nation of Benin itself.
Benin Nationwide Symbols
The Benin flag has a large vertical inexperienced stripe on the left facet and the remainder of the flag is split into two horizontal stripes, one yellow and one purple. It was used from 1959 till the coup and was re-adopted in 1990.
The colours of the flag and their meanings are famous within the nationwide anthem, with inexperienced representing hope, purple for the braveness of ancestors and yellow for the treasures of the nation.
The anthem, “L’Aube Nouvelle” or “The Daybreak of a New Day,” was established in 1960, although the identify of the nation was modified within the track in 1975.
The leopard can also be thought-about a nationwide image of Benin, and two leopards are discovered on the nation’s coat of arms.
Benin Actions for Youngsters
It’s tough to seek out info for teenagers in regards to the nation of Benin as a result of while you search you usually discover issues in regards to the Kingdom of Benin as a substitute as if they’re the identical place.
Nationwide Geographic Youngsters has an amazing web page with details about leopards for teenagers, and yow will discover some leopard coloring pages at I Coronary heart Artful Issues.
Older college students can analysis the slave commerce that befell in Benin and be taught in regards to the Door of No Return, a memorial arch that’s a part of the Slave Route path in Benin.
A well-liked snack in Benin and different nations in West Africa is kuli-kuli, which is made out of peanuts. Be taught extra in regards to the delicacies of Benin and get a recipe for kuli-kuli right here. There’s one other recipe in addition to one for Dahomey fish stew on this submit from Eat This NY.
