Benin: History

1946

Dahomey becomes an overseas territory of France.

1960

Dahomey gains its independence from France.

1963 Dahomey joins the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

1975 Dahomey is renamed the People’s Republic of Benin.

1989

Benin agrees to economic adjustment measures put forth by the World Bank and IMF.

2002

Benin joins the Community of Sahel-Saharan States, a group that aims to establish economic unity and a free trade area in Africa.

2006 Benin is awarded debt relief by the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

2009

Significant amounts of oil are discovered at a town along the disputed Benin-Niger border.

2016

Patrice Talon is elected president.