Benin is located in Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo.
Benin has borders with Burkina Faso for 306km, Niger for 266km, Nigeria for 773km and Togo for 644km.
Land in Benin is mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains.
Beninese land covers an area of 112620 square kilometers which is slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
As for the Beninese climate; tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north.
Beninese (singular and plural) speak French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north).
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Alibori Atakora Atlantique Benin (general) (BN01) (BN02) (BN03) (BN04) (BN05) (BN06) | Borgou Collines Donga Kouffo Littoral Mono Plateau Quémé Zou |
Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged.
The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged around 5% in the past six years, but rapid population growth has offset much of this increase. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products, and encourage new information and communication technology. Many of these proposals are included in Benin's application to receive Millennium Challenge Account funding - for which it was a finalist in 2004-05. The 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, with Benin benefiting from a G8 debt reduction announced in July 2005, while pressing for more rapid structural reforms. Benin continues to be hurt by Nigerian trade protection that bans imports of a growing list of products from Benin and elsewhere, which has resulted in increased smuggling and criminality in the border region.
Beninese natural resources include small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands
Beninese religion is indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%.
Natural hazards in Benin include hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March.