Colony of Dahomey and Dependencies Colonie du Dahomey et dépendances (French) | |||||||||||
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| 1894–1958 | |||||||||||
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| Anthem: La Marseillaise | |||||||||||
 Dark green: French Dahomey Lime: Rest of French West Africa Dark gray: Other French possessions Darkest gray: French Third Republic | |||||||||||
| Status | French colony | ||||||||||
| Capital | Porto-Novo | ||||||||||
| Common languages | French (official) Bariba, Fon, Yoruba | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
• Colonised | 1872 | ||||||||||
| 1894 | |||||||||||
| 4 September 1947 | |||||||||||
| 4 December 1958 | |||||||||||
| 1 August 1960 | |||||||||||
| Currency | French West African franc CFA franc | ||||||||||
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| Today part of | Benin | ||||||||||
| History of Benin |
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| History of the Kingdom of Dahomey |
| Early history |
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| Modern period |
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French Dahomey, officially the Colony of Dahomey and Dependencies (French: Colonie du Dahomey et dépendances), was a French colony and part of French West Africa from 1894 to 1958.[1] After World War II, by the establishment of the French Fourth Republic in 1947, Dahomey became part of the French Union with increased autonomy. On 4 October 1958 the French Fifth Republic was established, and the French Union became the French Community. The colony became the self-governing Republic of Dahomey within the Community, and two years later on 1 August 1960, it gained full independence, renamed to Benin in 1975.
- ^ Mills, Ian (13 September 2017). "French Colonies – Benin (formerly Dahomey)". discoverfrance.net. Retrieved 13 September 2017.