Benin
Festivals and Events in Benin
The Voodoo Festival popularly known as the National Voodoo Dayis the major festival in Benin that attracts thousands of followers to Ouidah. The festival is held in January every year at a beach and people in colourful local dress dance, drum and pray while animals are slaughtered in rituals.
Religion in Benin
According to the 2002 census, 27.1 percent of the population of Benin is Roman Catholic, 24.4 percent Muslim (mainly Sunni), 17.3 percent Vodun, 5 percent Celestial Christian, 3.2 percent Methodist, 7.5 percent other Christian denominations, 6 percent other African Traditional Religion groups, 1.9 percent other religious groups, and 6.5 percent claim no religious affiliation.
Departments of Benin
Benin is divided into 12 departments (French: départements), and subdivided into 77 communes (see Communes of Benin). In 1999, the previous six departments were each split into two halves, forming the current 12. The new six departments have been assigned a capital in 2008.