People

Benin’s 5.5million people come from as many as 42 different ethnic groups. The four largest tribes are the Fon, the Adja, the Bariba and the Yoruba. Intermarriage between the groups makes it difficult to trace each one’s origin. However, they are all of African descent and can be divided into five broad clusters: the Voltaic, the Sudanese, the Fulani, the Ewe and the Yoruba. The foreign community is mostly of French origin.

Regional rivalries persist, but with the reformed Constitution of 1991, citizens enjoy a great degree of freedom. However, the equality of women that is provided for by the constitution is still to become a reality. Women experience widespread societal discrimination, especially in rural areas. And female genital mutilation, which is widely practiced in rural areas is yet to be declared as illegal, by the Government. In urban areas, they dominate trade in the open – market areas.