Zangnanado
Encyclopedia
Zagnanado or Zangnanado is a town, arrondissement
, and commune
in the Zou Department
of southern-central Benin
. It is located 47 kilometres from Abomey
and 165 kilometres north of Cotonou
. The commune covers an area of 750 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 36,756 people.
. Guézo made the area headquarters of the army during his campaigns against the Yoruba and Kétou of Abeokuta. By the Act of June 21, 1895, King Agoli-Agbo
, he authorised full authority over the Agonlin region. In the early twentieth century, Zagnanado and surrounding villages were visited by many missionaries who spread Christianity
. During the colonial period and into the 1970s, Agonlin remained a single administrative entity. However, in 1978 it was divided into three communes, Zagnanado, Covè
and Ouinhi
.
to the north, Ouinhi
and Zogbodomè to the south, Covè
, Za-Kpota
and Djidja
to the west and Adja-Ouèrè
and Kétou
to the east.
representing 90.5% and Yoruba representing 8.1% and the rest minorities. The main religions are Christianity
(47.2%), animism
(30.5%) and Islam
(2.8%).
The population of the commune of Zagnanado, according to the 2002 census is 36,756 people, which is 6.1% of the population of the Zou Department. Data from the last census shows that from 1992 to 2002, the population Zagnanado experienced a small increase of 0.7% per year while between 1979 and 1992 growth was about 2.2% per year.
Arrondissements of Benin
The Arrondissements of Benin refer to the third-level administrative units of Benin, after Departments and communes. In turn they contain villages and may often have several quartiers or city districts/urban neighborhoods:...
, and commune
Communes of Benin
The departments of Benin are subdivided into 77 communes, which in turn are divided into arrondissements and finally into villages or city districts. Prior to 1999 provinces were broken down into 84 districts, titled either urban or rural...
in the Zou Department
Zou Department
Zou is one of the twelve departments of Benin.Zou is divided into the communes of Abomey, Agbangnizoun, Bohicon, Cové, Djidja, Ouinhi, Za-Kpota, Zangnanado, and Zogbodomey....
of southern-central Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
. It is located 47 kilometres from Abomey
Abomey
When UNESCO designated the royal palaces of Abomey as a World Heritage Site in 1985 it statedFrom 1993, 50 of the 56 bas-reliefs that formerly decorated the walls of King Glèlè have been located and replaced on the rebuilt structure...
and 165 kilometres north of Cotonou
Cotonou
-Demographics:*1979: 320,348 *1992: 536,827 *2002: 665,100 *2005: 690,584 The main languages spoken in Cotonou include the Fon language, Aja language, Yoruba language and French.-Transport:...
. The commune covers an area of 750 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 36,756 people.
History
The territorial entity that is today the municipality of Zagnanado has undergone several administrative changes since the colonial period until today. Since the early eighteenth century, the region depended on the kingdom of AbomeyAbomey
When UNESCO designated the royal palaces of Abomey as a World Heritage Site in 1985 it statedFrom 1993, 50 of the 56 bas-reliefs that formerly decorated the walls of King Glèlè have been located and replaced on the rebuilt structure...
. Guézo made the area headquarters of the army during his campaigns against the Yoruba and Kétou of Abeokuta. By the Act of June 21, 1895, King Agoli-Agbo
Agoli-agbo
Agoli-agbo is considered to have been the twelfth, and last, King of Dahomey. He took the throne after the previous king, Behanzin, went into exile after a failed war with France. He was in power from 1894 to 1900....
, he authorised full authority over the Agonlin region. In the early twentieth century, Zagnanado and surrounding villages were visited by many missionaries who spread Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. During the colonial period and into the 1970s, Agonlin remained a single administrative entity. However, in 1978 it was divided into three communes, Zagnanado, Covè
Cove
A cove is a small type of bay or coastal inlet. They usually have narrow, restricted entrances, are often circular or oval, and are often inside a larger bay. Small, narrow, sheltered bays, inlets, creeks, or recesses in a coast are often considered coves...
and Ouinhi
Ouinhi
Ouinhi is a town, arrondissement, and commune in the Zou Department of south-western Benin. The commune covers an area of 483 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 38,319 people....
.
Geography
3 rivers flow through the commune, the longest flows through for 93 kilometers. Zagnanado is bordered by Dassa-ZoumèDassa-Zoumé
Dassa-Zoumé, often shortened to Dassa, is a city in Benin, on the Cotonou to Parakou railway and the main north-south highway. The commune covers an area of 1711 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 93,967 people....
to the north, Ouinhi
Ouinhi
Ouinhi is a town, arrondissement, and commune in the Zou Department of south-western Benin. The commune covers an area of 483 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 38,319 people....
and Zogbodomè to the south, Covè
Cove
A cove is a small type of bay or coastal inlet. They usually have narrow, restricted entrances, are often circular or oval, and are often inside a larger bay. Small, narrow, sheltered bays, inlets, creeks, or recesses in a coast are often considered coves...
, Za-Kpota
Za-Kpota
Za-Kpota or Zakpota is a town, arrondissement, and commune in the Zou Department of south-western Benin. It is located 153 kilometres north of Cotonou and 33 kilometres east of Abomey .-History:...
and Djidja
Djidja
Djidja is a town, arrondissement, and commune in the Zou Department of south-western Benin. The commune covers an area of 2184 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 84,590 people.-Geography:...
to the west and Adja-Ouèrè
Adja-Ouèrè
Adja-Ouèrè is a town, arrondissement, and commune in the Plateau Department of south-eastern Benin. The commune covers an area of 550 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 81,497 people.-References:...
and Kétou
Kétou
Kétou is a Yoruba town, arrondissement, and commune located in the Plateau Department of the Republic of Benin . It is said to have been founded by Ede, son of Sopasan and grandson of Oduduwa , who ruled the Yoruba kingdom of Ile-Ife in present-day Nigeria...
to the east.
Administrative divisions
Zagnanado is subdivided into six arrondisements, Agonlin-Houégbo, Banami, Don Tan, Dovi, Kpedekpo and Zagnanado. They contain 27 villages and 7 city districts.Demographics
The population of Zagnanado is dominated by two major ethnic groups; MahiMahi
Mahi is a Jat gotra or clan found in the Northern Indian state of Punjab.-Origin:The place of origin of the Mahi is supposed to have been Amritsar, Punjab, India and Multan, Pakistan.-Occupation:Agriculture is the main occupation of Mahi clan people...
representing 90.5% and Yoruba representing 8.1% and the rest minorities. The main religions are Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
(47.2%), animism
Animism
Animism refers to the belief that non-human entities are spiritual beings, or at least embody some kind of life-principle....
(30.5%) and Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
(2.8%).
The population of the commune of Zagnanado, according to the 2002 census is 36,756 people, which is 6.1% of the population of the Zou Department. Data from the last census shows that from 1992 to 2002, the population Zagnanado experienced a small increase of 0.7% per year while between 1979 and 1992 growth was about 2.2% per year.