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Benin is in West Africa. It surrounds Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its short coastline to the south leads to the Bight of Benin. Its capital is the Yoruba founded city of Porto Novo, but the seat of government is the Fon city of Cotonou. Benin was known as Dahomey until 1975. By the middle of the nineteenth century, Dahomey started to lose its status as the regional power. This enabled the French to take over the area in 1892. In 1899, the French included land called Dahomey within the French West Africa colony. Talk: The authorized language is French - the language of the former colonial power. Native African languages such as Fon and Yoruba in the south, Bariba and Dendi in the north, and over 50 other African languages and dialects. English is on the up rise.

Religion & Culture: The native religion of Benin is adept by about 60% of the population. Since 1992 Vodun has been familiar as one of Benin's authorized religions, and a National Vodun Holiday is celebrated on January 10. Many Beninois in the south of the country have Akan-based names indicating the day of the week in which they were born. Twins are important in many parts of Benin, especially in the south and often receive special names. For the Yoruba people, who have the utmost ratio of twin births to single births in the world. The main introduced religions are Islam, introduced by the Songhai Empire and Hausa merchants, and now followed throughout Alibori, Borgou, and Donga regions, as well as among the Yoruba (who also follow Christianity), and Christianity, followed throughout the south and center of Benin and in Otammari country in the Atakora. Many, however, continue to hold Vodun and Orisha beliefs and have incorporated into Christianity the pantheon of Vodun and Orisha.

Food: In every city/village one will find road hawkers selling anything from beans and rice to grilled chicken, goat and/or turkey. Prices are ostensible. But one must be careful, always choose a vendor whose food is still hot, and they have taken care to keep the bowls covered with a lid and/or cloth. Drink: The beer is cheap and good! Local pubs are on every corner in every neighborhood. You can get a bottle of local beer "La Béninoise", Heineken, Guinness, Castel and others depending on the bar. They all cost about 250 CFA for a small bottle or 500 CFA for a large bottle. There is also the local palm wine, an alcoholic drink that is made from sap of the palm tree.