Republic of Benin, Formerly Dahomey Quiz

Answer: Bight of Benin

The area was called Dahomey while it formed part of French West Africa, and retained the name on gaining independence in 1960. However, the Kingdom of Dahomey was only the southern third of the present country of Benin, so the use of that name ignored the regions of Atakora in the northwest and Borgu in the northeast.

In 1975 the Marxist government renamed it The People's Republic of Benin; in 1990, on completion of the new constitution, this was changed to The Republic of Benin. The Bight of Benin is the part of the Gulf of Guinea on which Benin has its coastline.

Answer: Niger

The Niger River is the main river of western Africa, stretching 4,180 km (2,600 mi) from its origin in the highlands of southern Guinea through Mali and Niger, along the border between Niger and Benin, and then through Nigeria where it enters the Atlantic Ocean. It is the third longest river in Africa, behind the Nile and the Congo (also known as the Zaire).

Answer: Egypt

Benin shares a border with Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso to the northwest. The Bight of Benin forms its southern boundary.

Answer: North

Benin runs north-south, with a bulge on the northern end. Its length is roughly of 700 km (435 mi), and its maximum width is about 325 km (202 mi). The southern coastline measures 121 km (75 mi).

Answer: Virginia

Virginia has an area of 110,784 sq km (42,774 sq mi). Rhode Island (4,002 sq km) and Massachusetts (27,337 sq km) are significantly smaller, while Alaska (1,717,854 sq km) is dramatically larger. Other countries with an area similar to that of Benin include Honduras (112,492 sq km) and Bulgaria (110,879 sq km). Benin is one of the smaller countries in western Africa, being an eighth the size of its eastern neighbour, Nigeria, but twice the size of Togo to its west.

Answer: Hot and humid in the south, semi-arid in the north

The average daily temperature on the coast ranges from a minimum of 24 °C (75.2 °F) to a maximum of 31 °C (87.8 °F). Annual rainfall on the coast averages 1,360 mm (53.54 in), spread across two rainy seasons (April to July and September to November) and two dry seasons (December to April and July to September).

The north of Benin borders on the region called the Sahel, a zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the north and the savannas to the south which stretches across the north of Africa. A dry wind from the Sahara called the harmattan causes vegetation in this region to dry up dramatically during the season from December to March.

Answer: Sokbaro

Mont Sokbaro is part of the Atakora Range which runs from Ghana (where it is called the Akwapim Hills) through Togo (where it is called the Togo Range) to Benin. Mont Sokbaro is on the border between Togo and Benin, in the department of Donga. Alibori is the northeastern-most department of Benin.

Answer: Pendjari National Park

Parc National de la Pandjari, as it is called in Benin's official language of French, is named for the Pendjari River which forms the border with Burkina Faso. It is part of a large complex of protected areas spanning Burkina Faso, Benin and Niger, called "The WAP", which also includes Arli National Park in Burkina Faso and W National Park.

The area is known for its wildlife, including elephants, monkeys, lions, hippopotamuses, buffalo, various antelopes, and a vast array of birds, including many species of stork.

It was considered one of the last habitats of the Painted Hunting Dog (Lycaon pictus), but the species is now considered to be locally extinct.

Answer: It is built on stilts in the lake.

Ganvie, on the western edge of Lake Nokoue, is probably the largest lake village in Africa, with all buildings being on stilts. It was established four or five centuries ago by the local Tofinu people, and was built in the lake for security. The most dangerous of the other local tribes practiced a religion which forbade them from entering water, so the lake offered an excellent defense.

As well as tourism, the town's economy relies on fishing.

Answer: Petroleum

Porto-Novo, also known as Hogbonou and Adjace, was the capital of French Dahomey, and is the official capital of Benin, although Cotonou is the economic capital, and houses much of the government and diplomatic offices. It is located on the coast, in the southeast corner of the country.

In the 1990s petroleum was discovered off the coast of Porto-Novo, and it has since become an important export for Benin.