Benin

Benin Geography

Location
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo

Geographic coordinates
9 30 N, 2 15 E

Area
total: 112,620 sq km
land: 110,620 sq km
water: 2,000 sq km

Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries
total: 1,989 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km

Coastline
121 km

Maritime claims
territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain
mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Natural resources
small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Land use
arable land: 18.08%
permanent crops: 2.4%
other: 79.52% (2001)

Irrigated land
120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards
hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March

Environment - current issues
inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note
sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands



- Info Provided by the CIA World Factbook -