Forgotten World (125): Benin
Benin, formerly known as Dahomey, is one of Africa’s most stable democracies with a proliferation of political parties and a strong civil society. The International Press Institute (IPI) says Benin has one of the region’s “most vibrant media landscapes”. Press freedom is said to be in “very good shape” by the media rights body Reporters Without Borders.
On the economic side, however, the picture is less appealing for the population of just 9 M. While Benin has seen economic growth over the past few years and is one of Africa’s largest cotton producers, it ranks among the world’s poorest countries. The economy relies heavily on trade with its eastern neighbour, Nigeria. Benin is severely underdeveloped and corruption is rife.
It is believed that voodoo originated in Benin and was introduced to Brazil, the Caribbean Islands, and parts of North America by slaves taken from this particular area of the Slave Coast. The indigenous religion of Benin is practiced by about 60% of the population and the country has a National Voodoo Holiday.