Which African country was formerly known as Dahomey?
Answer
Benin
Benin was formerly known as Dahomey.
The Republic of Dahomey became independent from France on 1 August 1960. The name referred to the Kingdom of Dahomey, a powerful precolonial state based in the area around Abomey in present-day southern Benin. The kingdom was known for its centralised government, regional trade, and military organisation.
The country changed its name from Dahomey to the People’s Republic of Benin in 1975, during a Marxist-Leninist period. The name “Benin” refers to the wider Bight of Benin region and distinguished the modern state from the historic kingdom. In 1990, the country adopted the name Republic of Benin.
Dahomey is sometimes confused with the neighbouring Gold Coast, now Ghana, or with Togo, which also became independent from France in 1960. Abomey, the former royal capital, is now a major heritage site.