Category: Benin

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to explore the coast of Benin, in 1472. At the time, the territory was occupied by African kingdoms. In 1553, the Portuguese began to negotiate with the peoples of the region. In the 17th century, Dutch, French and English traded on the coast of Benin as well. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Kingdom of Dahomey took the place of the Kingdom of Allada as the most powerful in the region. Until the beginning of the 19th century, the main reason for trade in Benin was slaves. In 1704, France built the Port of Ouidah. In 1752, the Portuguese built Porto Novo, the current constitutional capital. In 1892, the Kingdom of Porto Novo signed a protection agreement with France. In 1894, France transformed the region into a French colony, under the name Daomé. In 1904 it was integrated into French West Africa. In 1960, Daomé gained independence. It changed its name to Benin in 1975. The seat of the Government is in Cotonou, the largest city. The official language is French. There are 10 million residents (2015). Benin has a lot of Brazilian culture, as many of those enslaved in Brazil have returned to their African land.