21 May 2013 Last updated at 05:26 ET

Benin profile

Voodoo chief Voodoo supreme chief Dagbo Hounon Tomandjre arrives for a festival
  • Full name: The Republic of Benin
  • Population: 9.4 million (UN, 2012)
  • Capital: Porto-Novo
  • Area: 112,622 sq km (43,484 sq miles)
  • Major languages: French (official) Fon, Ge, Bariba, Yoruba, Dendi
  • Major religions: Indigenous beliefs, Christianity, Islam
  • Life expectancy: 55 years (men), 59 years (women) (UN)
  • Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
  • Main exports: Cotton, palm oil
  • GNI per capita: US $780 (World Bank, 2011)
  • Internet domain: .bj
  • International dialling code: +229

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