Benin

The Republic of Benin is a country in West Africa. It consists of a narrow, 675-kilometre-long area stretching northwards from the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean, which has 75 miles of coastline, to the Niger River, which forms part of the northern border between Benin and Niger. The country's official capital is Porto-Novo, but Cotonou is Benin's largest city, main port and the administrative capital. From the end of the 19th century until 1960, Benin was a French colony. Before colonial rule, part of the territory of modern Benin was made up of strong, independent kingdoms, including various Bariba kingdoms in the north and the kingdoms of Porto-Novo and Dahomey in the south. At the end of the 19th century, French colonists invading the interior from the coastal region borrowed the name of the defeated kingdom of Dahomey from the entire territory of present-day Benin, and the present name is taken from the Bight of Benin. Most of the original rainforest, which covered much of the south of the country, has now been cleared, with the exception of areas near rivers. It has been replaced by a number of oil palms and rônier palms, and food crops. To the north of Abomey, the flora is a mix of forest and savannah, with savannah replacing it further north. There are also coconut palm, kapok, mahogany and ebony trees in the area. In the northernmost part of the country is the "W" National Park, which stretches into Burkina Faso and Niger. Its diverse wildlife includes elephants, leopards, lions, antelopes, monkeys, wild boars, crocodiles and buffalo. There are several species of snakes, including pythons and Puff Adders. Among the birds are Guinea Fowl and Wild Ducks, as well as several tropical species.