Diagbon
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Republic of Diagbon | |
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 Flag
 Coat of arms
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| Motto: Freedom and Justice | |
| Anthem: Song of the Marabouts | |
| Capital and largest city | Compaore |
| Official languages | English |
| Recognised regional languages | Siafo, Maale, Bwaa |
| Ethnic groups (2019) |
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| Demonym(s) | Diagbonese |
| Government | Unitary Presidential constitutional republic |
• President | Yvonne Ayi Wei |
• Prime Minister | Thomas Efua Adrinkra |
| Legislature | National Assembly |
| Independence from United Kingdom | |
• Dominion | October 1, 1959 |
• Republic | June 10, 1961 |
| Area | |
• Total | 408,256 km2 (157,629 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2019 estimate | 65,202,969 |
• Density | 159.71/km2 (413.6/sq mi) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2019 estimate |
• Total | $458.9 billion |
• Per capita | $7,038 |
| HDI (2019) | 0.714 high |
| Currency | Diagbonese Pound |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WAT) |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +412 |
| Internet TLD | .di |
Diagbon, officially the Republic of Diagbon, is a country located along the Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic Ocean, in the sub region of West Africa. Spanning a land mass of 408,256 km2 (157,629 sq. mi), Diagbon is bordered by French speaking countries to the west, north and east; and the Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic Ocean in the south. The country's official language of government and business is English. Roughly 90% of the population speaks one of three widely spoken native languages: Siafo, Maale, and Bwaa. Formerly called the Republic of Volta (1959–1961), the country was renamed "Diagbon" on 10 June 1961 by erstwhile President Thomas Hayes Sangoule. Its citizens are known as Diagbonese. Its capital is Compaore. Diagbon’s population of approximately 65 million spans a variety of ethnic, linguistic and religious groups. According to the 2015 census, 77% of the population was Christian, 17% was Muslim, and 5% practiced traditional faiths. Its diverse geography and ecology ranges from coastal savannas to tropical rain forests.
The first permanent state in the territory of present-day Diagbon dates back to the 8th century. Numerous kingdoms and empires emerged over the centuries, of which the most powerful was the Da-Maale Kingdom of Yameogo and the Mamprudu Kingdom of Ahantana. Beginning in the 15th century, the Portuguese Empire, followed by numerous other European powers, contested the area for trading rights, until the British ultimately established control of the coast by the late 19th century. Following over a century of native resistance, Diagbon’s current borders were established by the 1900s as the British Volta Colony. It became independent from the United Kingdom on 1 October 1959.
Diagbon is a unitary constitutional democracy led by a president who is both head of state and head of the government. Diagbon‘s growing economic prosperity and democratic political system have made it a regional power in West Africa. It is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Commonwealth of Nations