The Stories of Benin

A coat of arms can tell people many stories about the country. This travel souvenir from Benin does just that. Just looking at this coat of arms is sure to arouse some excitement about travel and change in your environment. There is an element of danger and power with the big cats that surround the shield. Meanwhile, the castle represents the history of Benin, and the horns with corns refer to prosperity.

The Hidden World of Benin

Located in West Africa, Benin stands by Togo, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Niger. It features an impressive 9 million population the majority of which live on the coastline, an area known as the Bight of Benin. People work as farmers and the country`s economy depends mainly on agriculture. Being a French colony until 1960, it is no wonder that people speak French along with Fon and Yoruba, which are indigenous languages. Cotonou and PortoNovo are Benin's most important cities. Cotonou is home to more than one million people. Some of its most important landmarks include Cotonou Cathedral, the Ancien Pont Bridge and Dantokpa Market. Since it became an independent country, Benin faced convulsive times as it made its way to become a democracy. Benin is the name given to the country in 1975, as to that moment it was known as Republic of Dahomey. This is a greattravel souvenir to take home and share with family and friends some of your adventures in Africa.