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Geography

Government

Economy

History

Pre-Colonial (1600-1900)

From approximately 1300-1600, three major migratory movements took place resulting in the population of the area now known as Benin. The first was the movement of the Yoruba people from Nigeria; second was the movement of the Ashanti people from Ghana; and the third, and most significant for the history of Benin, was the movement of the "Alladahanou" people from Tado, in the south-east of what is now Togo. This group, led by three brothers, initially settled in Allada. While the oldest brother became the king of Allada, the others left around 1625 and established two other kingdoms: one in what is now Porto Novo and one near Abomey. Around 1645, the Abomey kingdom conquered the neighboring kingdom of Dan and thus became known as "Dahomey," which means "in the belly of Dan" in Fon.

The king of Dahomey at this time, Houegbadja, declared that the kingdom would continue to grow larger with each successive generation, for each king would leave his successor more land than he inherited. As a result, the people of Dahomey fought to expand their territory, and each king built a new palace near his predecessor's, producing a series of palaces in the city of Abomey. In 1724, Dahomey conquered the kingdom of Allada , and in 1727 they conquered Savi, on the coast near Ouidah.

Europeans began arriving in the area in the 18th century, as the kingdom of Dahomey was expanding its territory. The Portuguese were the first to arrive, and the French and Dutch soon followed. These Europeans were initially welcomed by Dahomey, as they traded weapons for slaves, thus enabling the further expansion of the kingdom. Trading posts were established in Porto Novo, Ouidah, and Cotonou. This relationship continued into the mid-19th century; at its peak, the kingdom of Dahomey spanned from the southern coast near Ouidah to its northern limit at what is now Savalou.

With the end of the slave trade in 1848, King Guezo of Dahomey began developing agriculture as an alternative source of prosperity for the kingdom and trade with the Europeans. Dahomey became a large exporter of palm oil and tobacco among other crops, but without the slave trade they could no longer maintain the same level of military superiority over other kingdoms. Thus, before dying in 1858, Guezo signed a treaty establishing French protectorates in Cotonou and Ouidah. Around the same time, the French signed another treaty with King Toffa of Porto Novo establishing a protectorate there.

Under King Glélé (1858-1889) several more commercial treaties were signed between Dahomey and the French, and the protectorate arrangements in the main ports were maintained. The next king of Dahomey, Gbehanzin, grew weary of the French influence, however. In 1889, he raised the tax for their occupation of Cotonou and refused to let them continue to occupy Ouidah. As a result of this conflict, fighting broke out in Cotonou and Porto Novo in 1890. This fighting, known as the First War of Resistance, did not last, but both sides continued preparing their armies, and in 1892 the Second War of Resistance began. This war lasted from 1892-1894, when the French defeated the forces of Dahomey and deported King Gbehanzin to Martinique. The French then installed Agoli-Agbo, who ruled the kingdom under French control for the next six years. In 1900, Agoli-Agbo was deported to Gabon, marking the end of the Kingdom of Dahomey. The area became a French colony, governed from Paris through a French governor.

Colonial Period (1900-1960)

During the 60 years of colonial rule, the French continued to expand the region of Dahomey to the north. They conquered the Bariba chiefs of Parakou, Djougou, and Nikki, as well as the kingdom of Kandi. They also expanded into the Atakora and Upper Volta regions. After conquering the north, the colony of Dahomey was added to French West Africa and was under the power of the regional governor in Dakar, Senegal.

During the colonial period many advancements were made in the areas of health and education. Dahomeyans were sent to Dakar to be trained as doctors, midwives, and teachers. After World War II, General Charles de Gaulle began decreasing the role of colonial governors. The people of Dahomey formed trade unions and political parties and began taking part in the administration. They elected advisors to discuss economic issues and senators to represent their interests in Paris.

In 1958 a referendum was held, and the people of Dahomey voted to become a republic, electing Hubert Maga as prime minister. They were not yet ready for independence, however, and retained their status of dependency on France for two more years.

Independence (1960-1972)

In 1960 Dahomey joined with Côte d'Ivoire, Upper Volta, and Niger in asking the French for independence, and Prime Minister Maga became the first president. There was a great deal of instability in the beginning, however. The new republic was made up of many different cultural groups and had no national unity; it was also plagued by serious economic and social difficulties. Three years after independence, there was a military coup which began a period of chronic instability. From 1963-1972, there were four more military coups, nine changes of government, and five changes of constitution.

Revolution & Democratization (1972-1991)

In 1972 Mathieu Kérékou took power and instituted revolutionary changes. He declared Marxism-Leninism the country's new ideology in 1974 and changed the country's name from the Republic of Dahomey to the People's Republic of Benin. Over the next several years, most sectors of the economy were nationalized; the government took control of major banks and insurance companies, utilities, and agricultural and industrial corporations. Until 1985, the results of the new ideology were positive. Jobs were created, salaries were on the rise, and Benin enjoyed more political and economic stability than before. This was largely due to support from other communist powers such as the Soviet Union, Cuba, and North Korea.

In 1985-86, however, there was a downturn. Mismanagement of state-owned enterprises resulted in job loss, less money for universities, and inflation. The economic crisis continued through 1989, and opposition to the Marxist-Leninist ideology grew progressively stronger. In response to student demonstrations and strikes, the government abandoned this ideology in 1990 and held a National Conference in order to create a new government. In 1990, the country's name was again changed, this time from the People's Republic of Benin to the Republic of Benin, and a new constitution was adopted. In 1991 Nicephore Soglo was elected president, and the process of political and economic liberalization began.

Benin Today (1991-present)

With the creation of a democratic government came increased international assistance from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and many Western powers. Benin was able to pay off some debts and build hospitals and roads. State-owned enterprises were privatized, and private banks came in. But there were many difficulties during this period as well. The devaluation of the CFA in 1994 and other economic problems caused public approval of president Soglo to decrease.

In 1996, Gen. Kérékou was voted back into power. In March 2001, he was re-elected for a second term, suggesting public approval of his leadership. Although there are still many problems in the country, such as unemployment and lack of funding for social programs, Benin is generally regarded as a model of successful democratization in West Africa. Private businesses continue to grow, and there is a strong sense of optimism among the people. The future of Benin is bright.