Benin Benin Benin ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Benin () and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. The majority of its population lives on the small southern coastline of the Bight of Benin, part of the Gulf of Guinea in the northernmost tropical portion of the Atlantic Ocean. The capital of Benin is Porto-Novo, but the seat of government is in Cotonou, the country's largest city and economic capital. Benin covers an area of and its
Tourism in Benin Tourism in Benin Tourism in Benin is a small industry. In 1996, Benin had approximately 150,000 tourists. A small country with a high concentration of tourist attractions, Benin's national parks and culture are among its main tourist attractions. Abomey is one of Benin's main tourist attractions, with palaces that became a World Heritage Site in 1982. The capital city Porto Novo's attractions include its museums and architecture. Cotonou is the only international airport in Benin. There are direct flights to Benin from Belgium, France, and a number of African countries. There are 578 kilometres of railroad in the country, which