Benin brings to you a rejuvenating experience where the shimmering white sandy beaches blends into the baobab tree dotted savannah terrain. Here you can find an exceptional range and abundance of wildlife within the striking landscape of the Reserve du W du Niger and Pendjari National Park of the country. Benin is also the mystical land of ‘Vodoo’ and other similar arcane rituals. Located in West Africa, the country is narrow strip of land and ranks among one of the smallest nations of the continent. Spread over an area of 112,622 square kilometres, the elongated landscape of Benin stretches from the Niger River in the north to the Atlantic Ocean in the south. Be it the low-lying, sandy, coastal plain or marshy lands by the lakes, the terrain of Benin is more or less flat with few exceptions of the southern plateaus with altitude between 20 meters and 200 meters. A dry wind from the Sahara called the ‘harmattan’ is a prominent geological feature of Benin. A hot and humid climate blankets the entire country due to its location between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer.
Previously known as the Abomey kingdom of the Dahomey, Benin became an autonomous republic within the French Community in 1958. It achieved independence on August 1, 1960 and today is one of Africa's most stable nations.