BENIN

Benin was originally called French West Africa because it was colonized by France from 1904.

MAJOR EXPORTS DURING COLONIZATIOM

• small offshore oil deposits
•  limestone
• marble
• timber
• slave

On August 1, 1960, Benin finally gained complete independence from French rule.
It has been an independent nation for 54 years.

Important leader in the independence movement


In 1948, Dahomey was granted two senators in the French parliament, and an elected Territorial Assembly with some control over the budget by the French constitution. Finally, in 1958, Dahomey became a self-governing entity.

How did Benin gain independence?


The state did not gain independence as in fighting a successful upraising like the US colonies did against the english. Neither were there any major civil resistance against France as it was in Algeria, were they had a real war.

France made a continuous decision to give independence to all of its colonies, and that included Benin. Then, the country was renamed Benin in 1975

problems that still EXISTS today

• inadequate supplies of potable water
• poaching threatens wildlife populations
• deforestation
• desertification
• poor education