Where will the pope travel to next Benin's

• Report rights infringement
• published: 26 Sep 2011
• views: 552

September 26, 2011. (Romereports.com) Even though the pope just got back from his four day trip to Germany, his eyes are already set on his next international trip to Africa. From November 18th to the 20th, the pope will visit the country of Benin to meet with African bishops. Two years ago, their Synod took place. So, during his visit, the pope plans to deliver the post Synodal exhortation to the group, which it use as a guide in the coming years. During his visit, the pope will celebrate the 150th anniversary of Benin's evangelization. He will also honor the life and work of local cardinal Bernardin Gantin, who served as the Dean of the College of Cardinals for much of John Paul II's pontificate. Benin (formerly, Dahomey), officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located. The capital of Benin is Porto-Novo, but the seat of government is located in the country's largest city of Cotonou. Benin covers an area of approximately 110,000 square kilometers (42,000 sq mi), with a population of approximately 9.05 million. Benin is a tropical, sub-Saharan nation, highly dependent on agriculture, with substantial employment and income arising from subsistence farming. The official language of Benin is French, however, indigenous languages such as Fon and Yoruba are commonly spoken. The largest religious group in Benin is Roman Catholicism, followed closely by Muslims, Vodun, and Protestants. Benin is a member of the United Nations, the African Union, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone, La Francophonie, the Community of Sahel-Saharan States, the African Petroleum Producers Association and the Niger Basin Authority. From the 17th century to the 19th century, the land of current-day Benin was ruled by the Kingdom of Dahomey. The region became known as the Slave Coast during the early 17th century due to the prevalence of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. In 1892, with the slave trade banned and regional power diminishing, France took over the area and renamed it French Dahomey. In 1960, Dahomey gained full independence from France, bringing in a democratic government for the next 12 years. Between 1972 and 1990, a self-proclaimed Marxist-Leninist dictatorship called the People's Republic of Benin existed, ushering in a period of repression which ultimately led to an economic collapse. Formation of the Republic of Benin occurred in 1991, bringing in multiparty elections.