Countries where ASL or a derivative of ASL is the national or a widespread language include Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana ( with BSL ), Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, the Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d ' Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Kenya ( minority use ), Liberia, Madagascar ( minority use ), Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Philippines ( L2 use ), Puerto Rico, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Trinidad and Tobago, Togo, and Zimbabwe ( with ZSL ).

Benin ’ s financial sector is dominated by banks, and in general remains shallow.

Benin is member of the regional Bourse Regional des Valeur Mobiliés ( BRVM ) located in Abidjan, Côte d ' Ivoire.

The project is run by the Benin Ministry of Agriculture, and a number of European, African, and United Nations agencies.

The Benin Bronzes are really brass, and the Romanesque Baptismal font at St Bartholomew's Church, Liège is described as both bronze and brass.

Dahomey was a country in west Africa in what is now the Republic of Benin.

One is the flag generally known as the Benin flag and one is referred to as Nana Olomu's flag.

The project is run by the Benin Ministry of Agriculture, and a number of European, African, and United Nations agencies.

Native speakers of Hausa, the Hausa people are mostly to be found in Niger and in the north of Nigeria, but the language is used as a trade language across a much larger swathe of West Africa ( Benin, Ghana, Cameroon, Togo, Côte d ' Ivoire etc.

The Niger River is navigable 300 km from Niamey to Gaya on the Benin frontier from mid-December to March.

As there is only one major bridge over the Niger ( The Kennedy Bridge in Niamey: the Niger River bridge at Gaya crosses into Benin ), car ferries are of crucial importance, especially the crossing at Bac Farie, 40 km north of Niamey on the RN4, and the car ferry at Ayorou.

There are no railways in Niger, although Niger is a user of the Benin and Togo railway lines which carry goods from seaports to the Niger border.

* A multi-national railway system is proposed to connect Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast

It borders the Bight of Benin in the south ; Ghana lies to the west ; Benin to the east ; and to the north Togo is bound by Burkina Faso.

It is bordered by three countries: Benin to the east, with of border ; Burkina Faso to the north, with of border ; and Ghana, with of border.

The mountain range reaches into Benin where it is known as the Atakora Mountains and Ghana where it is known as the Akwapim Hills.

The project is run by the Benin Ministry of Agriculture, and a number of European, African, and United Nations agencies.

Vodun is practised by the Ewe people, Kabye people, Mina people and Fon people of southern and central Togo, southern and central Benin and ( under a different name ) the Yoruba of southwestern Nigeria.

* January 4 – A British force is ambushed by Chief Ologbosere, son-in-law of the Oba of Benin.

* February 18 – Benin is put to the torch by the Punitive Expedition.

: Note: This article is about the modern nation of Benin, which encompasses the former French colony of Dahomey, located west of Nigeria.

Niger also has short borders in its far southwest frontier ( Burkina Faso at 628 km and Benin at 266 km ) and to the northnortheast ( Libya at 354 km ).

* Mestiços, or mixed-blood, descendants of Portuguese colonists and African slaves brought to the islands during the early years of settlement from Benin, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola ( these people also are known as filhos da terra or " children of the land ");

Pentecost Monday is a public holiday in many European countries including Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania ( since 2008 ), ( most parts of ) Switzerland, Ukraine and also in the African nations Senegal, Benin and Togo.

Porto-Novo ( also known as Hogbonou and Adjacé ) is the official capital of the West African nation of Benin, and was the capital of French Dahomey.

About 42 African ethnic groups live in this country ; these various groups settled in Benin at different times and also migrated within the country.

Benin has also adopted a mediating role in the political crises in Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, and Togo and provided a contribution to the United Nations force in Haiti, all of which were indications of the country's growing confidence in the international community.

In Vodou, especially in Benin and Haiti, Aida-Weddo ( also Ayida-Wedo, Aido Quedo, Aido Hwedo ) is a loa of fertility, rainbows and snakes, and a companion or wife to Damballah-Wedo.

Mestiços of São Tomé and Príncipe are descendants of Portuguese colonists and African slaves brought to the islands during the early years of settlement from Benin, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola ( these people also are known as filhos da terra or " children of the land ").

The regions most recognized for producing terracotta art in this part of the world include the Nok culture of central and north-central Nigeria, the Ife / Benin cultural axis in western and southern Nigeria ( also noted for its exceptionally naturalistic sculpture ), and the Igbo culture area of eastern Nigeria, which excelled in terracotta pottery.

: See also Whydah Gally for the pirate ship and Ouidah for the town in Benin.

Benin is the centre of Nigeria's rubber industry, but processing palm nuts for oil is also an important traditional industry.

Benin City also has one of the best secondary schools in Nigeria and these include, Edo College, Asoro Grammar School, Eghosa Grammar School, Edokpolor Grammar School, Niger College, Presentation National High School, Immaculate conception Collge, Idia College, University of Benin Demonstration Secondary School, University Preparatory Secondary School, Benin Technical College, Headquarters of Word of Faith Group of Schools, Nosakhare Model Education Centre and Igbinedion Educational Centre, Federal Government Girls College, Benin City Paragon Comprehensive College.

Benin city is also reputed taking in one of the oldest sustained monarchies in the world.

( See also related GIF image of the article Battle royal for Benin relics ).

The Benin homeland ( not to be confused with the modern day country of the Republic of Benin, which was formerly known as Dahomey ) has and continues to be most significantly populated by the Edo ( also known as the Bini or Benin ethnic group ).

The ackee, also known as achee, akee apple or akee ( Blighia sapida ) is a member of the Sapindaceae ( soapberry family ), native to tropical West Africa in Cameroon, Gabon, São Tomé and Príncipe, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d ' Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

The beetle also appeared on stamps issued in Benin, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates, and Mozambique.

The period also saw Benin take part in international peacekeeping missions in other African states.

The constitution of Benin prohibited Kérékou from running again in March 2006, since he was older than 70 years, the limit, and the constitution also would not allow him to run for a third term.

The Fon language is the main language spoken in Southern Benin, and is a member of the Gbe language group.

At the last legislative elections in Benin, on March 30, 2003, the party was a member of the Presidential Movement, the alliance of supporters of Mathieu Kérékou, who had won the 2001 presidential elections.