The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture and cotton. Cotton accounts for 40% of GDP and roughly 80% of official export receipts. There is also production of textiles, palm products, and cocoa beans. Maize (corn), beans, rice, peanuts, cashews, pineapples, cassava, yams, and other various tubers are grown for local subsistence. Benin began producing a modest quantity of offshore oil in October 1982. Production ceased in recent years but exploration of new sites is ongoing.
Cotonou is the largest city and economic centre of Benin. Its official population count was 761,137 inhabitants in 2006; however, some estimates indicate its population to be as high as 1.2 million. The population in 1960 was only 70,000. The urban area continues to expand, notably toward the west. The city lies in the southeast of the country, between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Nokoué.
The Benin national football team, nicknamed Les Écureuils , is the national football team of Benin and is controlled by the Benin Football Federation. They were known as the Dahomey national football team until 1975, when Republic of Dahomey became Benin. They have never qualified for the World Cup, but have reached four African Nations Cup in recent years, never placing in the top 2 in the group stage – 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2019. In 2019, they reached the knockouts as the third most successful third place team, before making the quarter-finals with a shock win over Morocco, but later lost to Senegal. On 8 February 2010 after the preliminary competition from the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola, the Benin Football Federation dissolved the national team, coach Henri Dussuyer and his complete staff were fired. On May 9, 2016, Benin was suspended from FIFA.
Owo is a city in Ondo State of Nigeria. Between 1400 and 1600 AD, it was the capital of a Yoruba city-state. The local government has a population of 222,262, based on 2006 population census.
Razak Omotoyossi is a Nigerian-born Beninese footballer who plays for USS Kraké and also for the Benin national football team. Omotoyossi who plays as a striker, has played in Nigeria, Egypt, Sweden, Saudi Arabia and France.
Mickaël Franck Poté is a Beninese international footballer who plays as a forward for Turkish club BB Erzurumspor.
Michel Dussuyer is a French football coach and former professional player who is currently the manager of Benin.
The Benin women's national football team represents Benin in international women's football and it is controlled by the Benin Football Federation. They never reached the African Championship or the World Cup finals.
David Djigla is a Beninese international footballer who plays as a striker for Chamois Niortais.
Jordan Souleymane Adéoti is a professional footballer who plays for French club Auxerre, as a defender. Born in France, he represents Benin at international level.
Owolabi Franck Saturnin Allagbé Kassifa is a Mauritanian-born Beninese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for French club Chamois Niortais and the Benin national team.
Désiré Segbé Azankpo is a Beninese international footballer who plays for English club Oldham Athletic, as a centre forward.
Steve Michel Mounié is a Beninese professional footballer who plays as a striker for Huddersfield Town. He has been capped by Benin at senior international level, making his debut on 13 October 2015.
Banin, Idlib is a Syrian village located in Ariha Nahiyah in Ariha District, Idlib. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Banin, Idlib had a population of 743 in the 2004 census.
Moïse Wilfrid Maoussé Adiléhou is a professional footballer who plays as a centre back. Born in France, he represents Benin internationally.
Cebio Soukou is a German-born Beninese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder in Germany for Arminia Bielefeld.
Parliamentary elections were held in Benin on 28 April 2019.
José Paulo Rubim is an Brazilian football manager. In 2010 he was named head coach of Benin. He left this position later the same year.
Benin national football team is a weaker side in the Africa Cup of Nations, and only managed four appearances in the tournament. Benin first appeared in 2004, before qualified again in 2008, 2010 and 2019. While Benin has not been unable to join the top two highest ranked team in AFCON history, nor even win a single match in the competition, Benin managed its best performance in the tournament, during the 2019 AFCON when Benin came to quarter-finals, including a shock win over Morocco after penalty shootout. This means Benin is the first team to reach the quarter-finals of AFCON without ever winning a single competitive match in their participation history.
