Cultural and natural heritage of the Republic of Benin

The article presents the review of the rich cultural and natural heritage of the Republic of Benin situated on the territory of West Africa. The author starts from the settlement history of the present-day territory and the earliest political organizations of the Kingdom of Danxomè (XVII century) to gaining independence in 1960, including the French colonial period (1892–1960). The prehistoric evidence found in the northwest in the Pendjari River basin, as well as the languages and cultures of the peoples inhabiting this area date back to the earlier period. The legal and institutional basis formed by the Beninese state to protect and promote its heritage, the Constitution of 1990, in particular, and the Law on protection of cultural heritage of 2021, as well as the international charters as «The Charter of the African cultural renaissance» and the Convention of 1972 are characterized. The selective description of the elements of the cultural and natural heritage is given.