Who is benin

A rich cultural life flourished, and Dahomey's wooden masks, bronze statues, tapestries, and pottery are world renowned. One of the smallest and most densely populated regions in Africa, Dahomey was annexed by the French in and incorporated into French West Africa in It became an autonomous republic within the French Community in , and on Aug.

Christophe Soglo deposed the first president, Hubert Maga, in an army coup in He dismissed the civilian government in , proclaiming himself chief of state. A group of young army officers seized power in Dec.

In Dec. In May , a three-man presidential commission with a six-year term was created to take over the government.

In May , yet another army coup ousted the triumvirate and installed Lt. Mathieu Krkou as president. Between and Dahomey embraced socialism, and changed its name to the People's Republic of Benin. The name Benin commemorates an African kingdom that flourished from the 15th to the 17th century in what is now southwest Nigeria.

In , Benin abandoned Marxist ideology, began moving toward multiparty democracy, and changed its name again, to the Republic of Benin.

By the end of the s, Benin's economy was near collapse. As its oil boom ended, Nigeria expelled , Beninese migrant workers and closed the border with Benin. Krkou's socialist collectivization of Benin's agriculture and the ballooning bureaucracy further damaged the economy.

By , international financial institutions feared Benin would default on its loans and pressured Krkou to make financial reforms. Krkou subsequently embarked on a major privatization campaign, cut the government payroll, and reduced social services, prompting student and labor union unrest.

Fearing a revolution, Krkou agreed to a new constitution and free elections. In , Nicphore Soglo, an economist and former director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, was elected president. Krkou defeated Soglo in the elections and was easily reelected in March Term limits prevented him from running again. In April , Yayi Boni assumed the presidency. The World Bank and IMF agreed to cancel much of Benin's foreign debt after the country demonstrated significant economic reforms.

In , floods destroyed 55, homes, killed tens of thousands of livestock, and displaced , people. There were 46 fatalities. Party leader Hubert Maga becomes country's first president. In the next several years, the heads of state change several times.

He remains in power until he is voted out in Agreement on constitutional reform and multi-candidate presidential elections is reached. The incumbent, Mathieu Kerekou, is barred from the poll under a constitutional age limit. Government of Benin. UN news about Benin. Image source, Getty Images. Read full media profile. Mathieu Kerekou, pictured in , seized power and served two lengthy, non-consecutive terms.

The government has been reviving Pendjari National Park to promote conservation and tourism. This sub-Saharan empire had vast reach and power during the centuries of late antiquity. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. Skip to content. Image Bas-relief of an Oba Once rulers, oba still hold prestigious positions in Benin as government advisors.

Photograph by Heritage Image Partnership Ltd. Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Classroom. Encyclopedic Entry Vocabulary. Media Credits The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit.

Media If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Text Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Interactives Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. Related Resources. View Article. Mansa Musa Musa I of Mali. The Kingdom of Aksum.

View leveled Article. Educational Resources in Your Inbox. Educational Resources in Your Inbox Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students.