Benin
- Region
- Africa
- Area
- 112,622 km²
- Capital
- Porto-Novo
- ISO
- BJ
What the flag means
Green is said to stand for hope, red for the courage of the ancestors, and yellow for the country’s wealth. Adopted in 1959, it was replaced by another flag for a time but brought back in 1990.
Fun facts
- FlagThe flag of Benin uses Pan-African colors, with a green vertical band on the left and yellow and red horizontal bands on the right.
- GeographyThe constitutional capital of Benin is Porto-Novo, but many government offices are in Cotonou, the largest city.
- GeographyLake Nokoué in Benin has Ganvie, a village on the water that is called the “Venice of Africa.”
- CultureBenin is considered the birthplace of Vodun, and a Vodun festival held every January is also a public holiday.
