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
Benin cuisine usually kept outside their homes. Wagasi is a specialty cows'-milk cheese of northern Benin made by the Fulani people, and is abundantly available in cities such as Parakou. It's a soft cheese with a mild flavor and a red rind, and used often in Beninese cooking. Acarajé is a dish made from peeled black-eyed peas formed into a ball and then deep-fried in "dendê" (palm oil). It is found in most parts of the Republic of Benin, Nigeria and Ghana. The following summarizes some other Beninese specialty dishes and foods: Choukachou or "chouk" is a Beninese millet beer commonly consumed