Benin explained to kids

Benin is a small country in West Africa. It is bordered by Burkina Faso to the north, Niger to the east, Nigeria to the west, and Togo to the south. The capital of Benin is Porto-Novo, but the largest city is Cotonou. The official language of Benin is French. The first people to live in what is now Benin were hunter-gatherers. They were replaced by farmers who came from the Sahara desert. The farmers grew crops like millet and sorghum. They also kept cattle, sheep, and goats. The kingdom of Dahomey was founded in the 1600s. It became a powerful kingdom and controlled the region between the Niger and Volta rivers. In the 1800s, the kingdom of Dahomey was one of the richest and most powerful kingdoms in Africa. In 1892, the kingdom of Dahomey was conquered by the French. The French made Dahomey into a colony. They named it French Dahomey. In 1960, Dahomey became an independent country and changed its name to Benin. Since independence, Benin has had many challenges. There have been military coups and periods of political instability. The economy has also been weak. Despite these challenges, Benin is a relatively peaceful country. It is also one of the more stable countries in West Africa.