Benin

Benin is a country in West Africa, bordered by Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria. Formerly called Dahomey, it has its official capital at Porto-Novo and its seat of government in Cotonou.

Kingdom of Dahomey: A powerful West African kingdom centered in present-day southern Benin from the seventeenth century until French conquest. Its name became the country’s former name, and its territory anchors much of Benin’s history.
Politics of Benin: The system of government, political parties, elections, and public institutions in Benin. It describes how the republic’s authority is organized and contested.
Patrice de MacMahon: A French president whose government authorized military expansion in West Africa during the 1870s. French campaigns during his presidency helped set the stage for the conquest of Dahomey.
Porto-Novo: The official capital of Benin, located in the country’s southeast near the Nigerian border. It holds the constitutional title of capital, although Cotonou serves as the governmental center.
West Africa: A region of Africa encompassing countries along the Atlantic coast and the western Sahel. Benin’s political and economic relationships are strongly shaped by its West African setting.
Dahomey: The name used for the French colony and independent state that became the Republic of Benin in 1975. It was the country’s official name from independence until the 1975 renaming.
Constitution of Benin: The supreme legal framework defining Benin’s state institutions and citizens’ rights. The constitution establishes the rules governing the country’s political system.
Mathieu Kérékou: A Beninese military officer and politician who led the country for much of 1972–1991 and again from 1996–2006. His rule spanned the Marxist-Leninist period and Benin’s transition to multiparty politics.
Pendjari National Park: A protected area in northwestern Benin known for savanna wildlife and large mammals. It is a major example of the country’s northern ecosystems and conservation efforts.
Togo: A narrow West African country bordering Benin to the west. The two countries share a border and connected coastal communities.

Linked from 9 pages