| Name: | Benin (Republic of Benin) |
| Local name (French): | Bénin (République du Bénin) |
| Former name: | Dahomey - until 1975 |
| Bordering countries: | Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Togo |
| Status: | sovereign state |
| Surface: | 112.6 ths. sq. km |
| Population (2003): | 7 041 ths. |
| Capital: | official - Porto-Novo, real - Cotonou |
| Official language: | French |