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About Benin
From the palm tree-lined Atlantic beaches near the Equator in the south, Benin extends north 435 miles to the Niger River. Benin’s southern plateaus are made up of lush green fields that include pineapple shrubs and banana palms, with baobab trees and rocky hills farther north, a drier region in the northeast, and the Atakora Mountain range in the northwest. In addition to pineapples and bananas, major crops include corn, yams, cassava, rice, peanuts, cashews, oranges, mangoes, palm nuts, soybeans, and cotton. As one of the smaller countries on the African continent, Benin is a bit smaller than the state of Pennsylvania.
Benin is a fascinating country for language lovers. French is the official language of the Beninese educational and governmental system, and most Beninese people who speak French also speak one or more local languages, including Fon, Mina, Adja, Bariba, Yoruba, Idaatcha, Fulfulde, Mahi, Saxwe, Kotafon, Nagot, and many others. Peace Corps Volunteers leave Benin with at least an advanced-low level of spoken French, as well as skills in one of Benin’s local languages.
Multiple religions exist side by side in most Beninese communities; there is a strong spirit of mutual respect and co-existence, with constitutional protection for freedom of religion. Christianity is more common in the south and Islam in the north, and there is a rich culture of various animist/vodun practices throughout the country, often practiced in conjunction with another faith. A prominent mural celebrating religious co-existence was commissioned by the government and unveiled in Cotonou in 2023.
Peace Corps Volunteers have served in Benin since 1968 at the government's invitation. Health, Education, and Agriculture are three priority sectors identified by the Government of Benin, and Peace Corps Volunteers work alongside community members to address local priorities in these three sectors. The Health sector will phase out of Peace Corps Benin by September 2027.
Resources
The documentary "High on the Hog" features beautiful footage of Benin and discusses links between Beninese and American food and history in the first episode. "The Woman King" is a fictional depiction of the historic female Agodjie warriors of the Dahomey Kingdom, which makes up part of present-day Benin.