Benin Geography

What is the terrain and geography like in Benin?

Overview

Benin, a narrow, north-south strip of land in West Africa, lies between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer. Benin is bordered by Togo to the west, Burkina Faso and Niger to the north, Nigeria to the east, and the Bight of Benin to the south.

With an area of 112,622 square kilometers, roughly the size of Pennsylvania, Benin extends from the Niger River in the north to the Atlantic Ocean in the south, a distance of 700 kilometers (about 500 miles). Although the coastline measures 121 kilometers (about 80 miles), the country measures about 325 kilometers (about 215 miles) at its widest east-west point. It is one of the smaller countries in West Africa: 8 times smaller than Nigeria, it's neighbor to the east. It is, however, twice as large as Togo, it's neighbor to the west. A relief map of Benin shows that it has little variation in elevation (average elevation of 200 meters). The country can be divided into four main areas from the south to the north. The low-lying, sandy, coastal plain (highest elevation 10 meters) is, at most, 10 kilometers wide. It is marshy and dotted with lakes and lagoons communicating with the ocean. The plateaus of southern Benin — between 20 and 200 meters in altitude — are split by valleys running north to south along the Couffo, Zou, and Oueme Rivers. An area of flat lands dotted with rocky hills whose altitude seldom reaches 400 meters extends around Nikki and Save. Finally, a range of mountains extends along the northwest border and into Togo: this is the Atacora, with the highest point, Mont Sokbaro, at 658 meters.

Two types of landscape predominate in the south. Benin has fields of lying fallow, mangroves, and remnants of large sacred forests. In the rest of the country, the savanna is covered with thorny scrubs and dotted with huge baobab trees. Some forests line the banks of rivers. In the north and the northwest of Benin, the Reserve du W du Niger and Pendjari National Park attract tourists eager to see elephants, lions, antelopes, hippos, and monkeys.

Geography - note

Sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands

Climate

Benin's climate is hot and humid. Annual rainfall in the coastal area averages 36 centimeters (14 inches), not particularly high for coastal West Africa. Benin has two rainy and two dry seasons. The principal rainy season is from April to late July, with a shorter less intense rainy period from late September to November. The main dry season is from December to April with a short cooler dry season from late July to early September.

Temperatures and humidity are high along the tropical coast. In Cotonou, the average maximum temperature is 31°C (89°F); the minimum is 24°C (75°F). Variations in temperature increase when moving north through a savanna and plateau toward the Sahel. A dry wind from the Sahara called the harmattan blows from December to March. Grass dries up, the vegetation turns reddish-brown, and a veil of fine dust hangs over the country, causing the skies to be overcast.

Benin Use of Natural Resources

Benin Environment

Climate:

Terrain:

Mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Natural Resources:

Small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Natural Hazards:

Hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect the north from December to March

Irrigated Land:

89 Square Miles
230 Square Kilometers

Environmental 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, Whaling

Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Benin Geography

Geographic Location	Africa
Total Area	43,483 Square Miles 112,622 Square Kilometers
Land Area	42,711 Square Miles 110,622 Square Kilometers
Water Area	772 Square Miles 2,000 Square Kilometers
Land Boundaries	1,236 Miles 1,989 Kilometers
Irrigated Land	89 Square Miles 230 Square Kilometers
Border Countries	Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
Coastline	75 Miles 121 Kilometers
Geographic Coordinates	9 30 N, 2 15 E
Terrain	Mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Highest Point	658 Meters
Highest Point Location	Mont Sokbaro 658 m
Lowest Point Location	Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Natural Resources	Small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Time Zone	UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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