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Benin Introduction 2011
https://theodora.com/wfb2011/benin/benin_introduction.html
SOURCE: 2011 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK AND OTHER SOURCES


















Benin Introduction 2011
SOURCE: 2011 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK AND OTHER SOURCES

Page last updated on January 12, 2011

Background:
Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in 11000 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent. YAYI has begun a high profile fight against corruption and has strongly promoted accelerating Benin's economic growth.


NOTE: The information regarding Benin on this page is re-published from the 2011 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Benin Introduction 2011 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Benin Introduction 2011 should be addressed to the CIA.






This page was last modified 09-Feb-11
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