Benin

HOLIDAYS AND TRADITIONS

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.

SHORT INFORMATION

Geography of Benin

Benin, a narrow, key-shaped, north-south strip of land in West Africa, lies between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer. Benin's latitude ranges from 6°30′ N to 12°30′ N and its longitude from 1° E to 3°40′ E. Benin is bounded by Togo to the west, Burkina Faso and Niger to the north, Nigeria to the east, and the Bight of Benin to the south.

SHORT INFORMATION

Education in Benin

Although its education system used not to be free, Benin has now abolished school fees and is carrying out the recommendations of its 2007 Educational Forum. In 1996, the gross primary enrollment rate was 72.5 percent, and the net primary enrollment rate was 59.3 percent.