Today Benin is in 173rd place out of 191 countries and territories in 2021 when ranked in terms of life expectancy, literacy, access to knowledge and the living standards of a country. Until recently Benin was considered a model of democracy in Africa however its democratic system has eroded since President Talon took office on 6th April 2016. Two years later, his government introduced new rules for fielding candidates and raised the cost of registering.

The electoral commission, packed with Mr Talon's allies, barred all opposition parties from the parliamentary election in 2019, resulting in a parliament made up entirely of supporters of Mr Talon. Unsurprising he was reelected with 86% of the vote in 2021. Benin's population in 2022 was estimated to be approximately 13.35 million. Benin is highly dependent on agriculture, and is a large exporter of cotton and palm oil. Substantial employment and income arise from subsistence farming. The above picture collection shows typical images from Benin and the video (left) depicts daily life there.