Benin city

Benin city
Coordinates	6 ° 20 '  N , 5 ° 38'  E Coordinates: 6 ° 20 '  N , 5 ° 38'  E
Basic data
Country	Nigeria
State	Edo
height	80 m
Residents	2,571,798 (2012 calculations)
Statue on the Koenigsplatz

Benin City ( English Benin City ) is with almost 2.6 million inhabitants (as of 2012) the largest city of the state of Edo and its capital, as well as the third largest city in Nigeria .

Benin City was the center of the Kingdom of Benin and the seat of the Oba . The city emerged from a merger of different villages. An urban center was created from the 15th century. The city was sacked by the British in 1897 and large parts of the city were devastated. Today the city is known for its rubber industry.

geography

The city is located in the south of the country on the river of the same name. The Okomu National Park is located about 60 kilometers north-west of Benin City.

Climate diagram

Benin city
Climate diagram
J F. M. A. M. J J A. S. O N D.     9   32 21st     44   33 22nd     109   33 22nd     164   32 23     199   32 22nd     267   29 22nd     331   28 21st     247   28 21st     338   28 22nd     233   30th 22nd     62   32 22nd     22nd   32 21st Temperature in ° C ,  precipitation in mm Source: http://de.climate-data.org/location/764230/

Average monthly temperatures and rainfall for Benin City Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Max. Temperature ( ° C ) 31.7 32.7 32.6 32.1 31.6 29.4 27.8 27.8 28.2 30.0 31.6 31.6 O 30.6 Min. Temperature (° C) 21.1 21.8 22.3 22.9 22.4 21.8 21.2 21.2 21.7 21.8 21.8 20.5 O 21.7 Precipitation ( mm ) 9 44 109 164 199 267 331 247 338 233 62 22nd Σ 2,025 Source: http://de.climate-data.org/location/764230/

history

Around 1200 or 1300 the Ebo tribes were united around Benin City. It is said that the Ife chief Oranyan became its first ruler. At this time, but also before, the construction of huge earthworks for fortification , the walls of Benin , began, which were among the largest fortifications in the world. In the 15th century , King Ewuare of the then kingdom of Benin (not to be confused with the current state of Benin ) fortified the city. As early as 1486, the Portuguese operated a trading post here. In the two centuries that followed, Benin City became a center of the Portuguese, Dutch and Beninese slave trades that made the region rich.

The decline of the capital began at the beginning of the 19th century . But still at the end of the 19th century the capital was described as "surrounded by deep trenches". It had "wide streets with busy traffic", an extensive palace of the ruler and 15,000 inhabitants. The city and its fortifications were devastated by British colonial troops during a campaign of conquest in 1897.

During the Biafra War , the Republic of Benin was proclaimed in Benin City in 1967 , but the “national territory” was occupied by Nigerian troops the following day , which brought the republic to its quick end.

In 1972, a technical university founded in 1970 became the University of Benin (Nigeria) , one of the largest in the country.

Religious currents

Benin City is the seat of a Roman Catholic Archbishop of Benin City and the large Pentecostal Church of God Mission . The (independent) Miracle Center with its 20,000 seats is one of the largest churches in the world. But voodoo cults are also widespread.

Attractions

In Benin City there is a national museum, a palace (Oba Palace) and the zoological nature park complex Ogba Zoo . The city has several markets.

economy

The city is known for the rubber industry . It has a port.

Benin City is a center for forced prostitution and child prostitution . Thousands of children are sold to pimps by their poor families and later end up on the streets and in brothels in Great Britain , Italy and Germany .

Personalities

• Festus Iyayi (1947–2013), university professor for economics and writer
• Nikki Amuka-Bird (* 1976), Nigerian-British actress
• Frank Egharevba (* 1985), Nigerian-Austrian footballer
• Osayamen Osawe (* 1993), English football player
• Isaac Success (* 1996), Nigerian soccer player
• Kelvin Arase (* 1999), Austrian footballer
• Rema (* 2000), Nigerian singer and rapper

Web links

Commons : Benin City  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Population data 2012 ( Memento of the original from December 29, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
2. ^ The Benin Empire and Slave Trade , 2009, online
3. ↑ Spiegel article "From Benin City to Oberhausen"