HISTORY OF THE TOPOGRAPHY IN BENIN: THE OUTSETS OF THE TOPOGRAPHY AND ITS REALIZATIONS IN DAHOMEY (1850 to 1955)

The origins of the topography in Benin, (ex French Colony of Dahomey) result from the necessity to the future colonist to know in detail the territory which he desires to establish his military strategy of conquest. Then, the topography came in Dahomey by the missionaries to assist at first the campaign and the military expedition of Danhomey and then to assure the development, the reorganization and the territorial management of the new colony at the be- ginning of 1900s. So the Department of Topography, created for that purpose and animated periodically by different French land surveyors took an important part in the plan of towns and the construction of infrastructures.

Topography, missionaries, colony, development, reorganization