French Dahomey

Colony of Dahomey and Dependencies
Colonie du Dahomey et dépendances (French)
1894–1958
Flag of France
Anthem: La Marseillaise
Dark green: French Dahomey Lime: Rest of French West Africa Dark gray: Other French possessions Darkest gray: French Third Republic
Dark green: French Dahomey
Lime: Rest of French West Africa
Dark gray: Other French possessions
Darkest gray: French Third Republic
StatusFrench colony
CapitalPorto-Novo
Common languagesFrench (official)
Bariba, Fon, Yoruba
History 
• Colonised
1872
1894
4 September 1947
4 December 1958
1 August 1960
CurrencyFrench West African franc
CFA franc
ISO 3166 codeFR
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Dahomey
French West Africa
Republic of Dahomey
Today part ofBenin

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.

  1. ^ Mills, Ian (13 September 2017). "French Colonies – Benin (formerly Dahomey)". discoverfrance.net. Retrieved 13 September 2017.