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
Postage stamps and postal history of Benin issued in 1892 for French colonies on the coast of the Bight of Benin called the "Établissments du Golfe de Benin". In 1904, the colony of French Dahomey was established, as part of French West Africa. Stamps inscribed Dahomey were issued between 1899 and 1942. Stamps of French West Africa were then used until 1960. The colony became the self-governing Republic of Dahomey, and two years later on 1 August 1960 it gained full independence. Stamps inscribed Dahomey were issued again in 1960. Ⅰn 1975, the country was renamed Benin. Postage stamps and postal history of Benin This is a