A view of the Lake Village of Ganvié, near Cotonou - Photo courtesy of Africa Focus

The Republic of Benin is a small, culturally rich nation in West Africa with an ethnically diverse population and a varied landscape stretching from the coast of the Gulf of Guinea in the south, to the Niger River in the north. The official national language is French, although a large number of indigenous languages are spoken as well. Benin's tapestries, pottery, wooden masks, and bronze, brass, and ivory sculptures are world-renowned.

Making mats - Photo courtesy of Africa Focus

The majority of Benin's population is concentrated in the southern edge of the country along the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. The city of Cotonou is the main port and has evolved to become the largest city and commercial capital of Benin with approximately 450,000 inhabitants. Cotonou contains the country's government institutions, major industries, and entertainment and shopping districts. The historical town of Porto Novo, with nearby lagoons and stilted fishing villages, is the official capital of Benin and houses the Musée Éthnographique. Another major city, Abomey, is the site of the Abomey Historical Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Since 1975, 22 Fulbright grants to Benin have been awarded to scholars -- half for lecturing, and the other half for research or a combination of research/lecturing. Previous Fulbright Scholars to Benin have been involved in the fields of anthropology, archaeology, art history, agriculture, American literature, economics, education, English, French, linguistics, and mathematics.

Children carrying load of grains and water on their heads - Photo courtesy of Africa Focus

Fulbright grant packages for Benin include support for tuition and fees for accompanying children. More than two-thirds of previous Fulbright Scholars in Benin have been accompanied by family members, including spouses and children (ranging in age from infants to teenagers).

The government of Benin spends more on education than defense, and has cultivated an active intellectual community. The Université Nationale du Bénin is the only public higher education institution in the country. The Université d'Abomey-Calavi (formerly called the Université Nationale du Bénin) is the largest and oldest university in Benin. The university encompasses several faculties, professional and technical colleges, teacher training schools, and post-university institutions. The university's main campus is the Abomey-Calavi campus, although some department and schools are located at the Cotonou and Porto-Novo campuses as well.

CIES encourages interested applicants to make use of the following links to complement their research into potential opportunities available in Benin. Please also feel free to use the contact information at the bottom of this page to get in touch with CIES program personnel.

Africa Net
www.africanet.com/africanet/country/benin/embassy.htm
Addresses and contact information for Embassy of Benin and U.S. Embassy in Benin.

U.S. Department of State
http://cotonou.usembassy.gov/
Consular information sheet for Benin including contact information for the U.S. Embassy in Cotonou.

Embassy World website
www.embassyworld.com/maps/Maps_Of_Benin.html
Maps of Benin, including city maps.

The Africa Guide
www.africaguide.com/country/benin/index.htm
Visitor information, with sections on books and music related to Benin.

Africa Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania
www.africa.upenn.edu/Country_Specific/Benin.html
Extensive information on Benin, including a detailed ethnologue of the "Languages of Benin"

"Benin: Country Higher Education Profile"
Boston College
International Network for Higher Education in Africa
www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/soe/cihe/inhea/profiles/Benin.htm

"Benin on the Internet"
Africa south of the Sahara - Stanford University
www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/africa/benin.html
A more extensive compilation of websites from Benin and about Benin.

Benin Page on "Portals of the World"
www.loc.gov/rr/international/amed/benin/resources/benin-
education.html
Another extensive list of websites compiled by the Library of Congress.

Columbia University Libraries
www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/indiv/africa/cuvl/Benin.html
Information on education, culture, politics, human rights, economic development, health, and the environment of Benin

The Lonely Planet
www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/africa/benin
Traveler's information on Benin, including sections on events, activities, culture, and history.

Le Village Béninois
www.chez.com/beninvillage
In French. Online forum, chat and links.

All Africa
http://allafrica.com/benin
Past and present news stories coming out of Benin.

Africa Time
www.africatime.com/Benin
Information on Benin including news, politics, and economics.

"Benin - Online News and the Internet"
Columbia University Libraries
www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/indiv/africa/cuvl/Beninnews.html
A list of online newspapers and Béninois news on the Internet.

Institute de Mathematiques et de Sciences Physiques
www.imsp-uac.org
In French.

Université d'Abomey-Calavi (formerly called Université Nationale du Bénin)
www.uac.bj.refer.org
In French.

Université Catholique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (UCAO) www.fiuc.org/asunicam/ucao.html
In French with links to the Association of Catholic Universities and Higher Institutes of Africa and Madgascar (ACUHIAM).

Le Village Béninois
www.chez.com/beninvillage
In French. Online forum, chat and links.

Africa Focus - Sights and Sounds of a Continent
http://africafocus.library.wisc.edu
An Online collection of photographs and digitized sound recordings from every country in Africa, hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries and the University of Wisconsin-Madison African Studies Program.