BENIN

Wildlife is preserved at picturesque 300,000-hectare (750,000 acres) Parc National de Pendjari located half-hour drive north of Natitingou. Here you can see lions, elephants, leopards, elephants, monkeys and hippos.

TRAVEL TIPS

When To Go
Avoid Southern Benin's rainy seasons in April to mid-July, and mid-September to late October. Northern Benin gets a soaking from June to early October. The hottest time of the year is from February to April when temperatures can soar to 46°C (115 degrees F). Harmattan winds billow out of the Sahara between December and March, so November and February are your windows of opportunity for a pleasant stay.
Getting Around
Bush Taxi is possible between most cities, every day in major cities, periodically for the more remote ones. Drivers are often trying to maximize the number of people in the car so one can expect an intimate experience with the local population. Cost depends on the destination and price of gas. Ask other passengers what they are paying and always try to pay on arrival, although the latter is not always possible.
Hired Car with a local driver cost more and is the typical means of transport for foreigners. The price depends on the driver and your ability to bargain.
The cheapest way to travel within a city or village is by motorcycle taxi (moto, zemidjan or zem). They are cheap and the drivers usually know the city well. Licenced moto taxis almost always have a recognizable shirt in a color distinctive to the region or city with an individual number for the driver. Remember his number. Choose your driver carefully, drinking and driving in Benin is very common and moto drivers are someimes involved in crime rings in major cities. Motos have colors for different cities.
The long distance buses are very timely and reliable. Their are many major lines with a range of quality of buses. Buses in Benin run on the two major paved roads running north and south, and you can have the bus stopped at any point you would like to get off at, and for differing fixed rates. There is a extremely reliable bus system that runs your average tour-style bus through every major city in Benin everyday, and even some in and out of Benin. The main systems are ConfortLines and Benin-Routes. ConfortLines seems to provide more of a variety of routes, and you even get a some water and a little sandwich for long trips. Reservations for ConfortLines can be made in advance at any regional office.
Traffic in gemeral is chaotic and the rules of the road are rarely enforced. If you are planning on driving yourself in Benin, an International Driver's license is required. Hiring a local guide is recommended. When you leave the main roads, conditions become more difficult, particularly in the rainy season (March-July and September-November) when some of the smaller unpaved roads become impassable. Police roadblocks at night occur regularly and traveling alone with a driver (especially if you are a woman) may put him in an awkward position explaining and/or bribing the police.
Personal Safety and Security
There has been an increase in reported incidents of mugging, personal assault and car jacking in Cotonou and armed robberies have been reported in other areas, notably the border area with Nigeria.
The best way to stay safe in Benin is to always always always be in the presence of a local person whom you can trust, such as a friend or even a hired tourist guide. This will keep you safe in a number of ways. They know which areas are safe and which are not, they know the prices of things so you won't get ripped off, they speak the native languages, they know which venues sell good food that is safe for westerners to eat, basically they would protect you in all aspects. Women travelling alone should try to be in the company of other people as much as possible. Do not travel at night alone, attacks along the beaches are frequent, and of course near hotels, nightclubs and other venues. Benin is a peaceful country and the people are very kind and generous, but that being said muggings and robberies occur everywhere no matter how peaceful the place so be on guard.
It is advisable to have a legalised copy of your passport and visa in case your passport is lost or stolen.
Ocean currents are very strong along the coast. Many drownings occur each year.
Visas
You require a visa prior to entering Benin. Check the list of Embassies of Benin to the World or Embassies of Other Nations to Benin for more details.
Local Laws and Customs
Common sense and discretion should be exercised in dress and behaviour. You should respect religious and social traditions to avoid offending local sensitivities.
Possession, use or trafficking in illegal drugs is a serious offence and can result in lengthy prison sentences and heavy fines.
Do not take pictures of military zones, airports or government offices.
Homosexuality is not accepted in Benin and sexual relations between members of the same sex are illegal.
Health
Medical facilities are poor in Benin, particularly in rural areas. Watch what you eat/drink and where, is the number one rule for staying healthy in Benin. If you are going to eat street food make sure it is served very very hot, bacteria will not live in hot food. The most common causes of sickness are things like e-coli bacteria found in undercooked meat. Drinking water is readily available. The tap water in major cities is treated with chlorine which some people may be sensitive to. Malaria is a reality in Benin. Mosquitoes appear from dusk to dawn, standing water is mosquito breeding ground. Sleep under a Mosquito net and use a bug repellent with 30% DEET, also make sure to bring antimalarial drugs, you need a prescription from your doctor. The only compulsory vaccination needed to enter the country is against Yellow Fever, you should get it before entering. Along with vaccines against polio, hepatitis A and B, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Lock Jaw, Rabis and all the other standard childhood vacines. AIDS is an issue in Benin.
If travelling to Benin it is highly recommended that you speak to a doctor who specializes in travel 6 months prior to travel to Benin if possible. It is strongly recommended that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling to Benin.

BRIEF HISTORY

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.

GEOGRAPHY

Area: total: 112,620 sq km; land: 110,620 sq km, water: 2,000 sq km.
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north.
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains.
Natural Resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber.
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March.
Environmental Problems: inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification.

PEOPLE

Population: 8,000,000.
Major Ethnic Groups: Fon and related 39.2%, Adja and related 15.2%, Yoruba and related 12.3%, Bariba and related 9.2%, Peulh and related 7%, Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4%, Dendi and related 2.5%, other 1.6% (includes Europeans), unspecified 2.9%.
Religions: Christian 42.8% (Catholic 27.1%, Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, other Protestant 2.2%, other 5.3%), Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%, other 15.5%.
Languages: French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages.

GOVERNMENT

Type: republic (Republic of Benin).
Capital City: Porto-Novo.
Time Difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time). Check current time.
National Holiday: National Day, 1 August (1960).

ECONOMY

The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. In order to raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products, and encourage new information and communication technology. Benin continues to be hurt by Nigerian trade protection that bans imports of a growing list of products from Benin and elsewhere, which has resulted in increased smuggling and criminality in the border region.
Agriculture Products: cotton, corn, tapioca, yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews, livestock.
Major Industries: textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement.
Export Commodities: cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood.
Export Partners: China 21%, Indonesia 7.8%, India 7.1%, Netherlands 6.3%, Niger 5.7%, Togo 4.6%, Nigeria 4.4%.
Import Commodities: foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products.
Import Partners: China 47.3%, France 7.6%, Thailand 6.1%.
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF). Check current rate of exchange.