Geography of Benin – The Ultimate Free Guide 2021
Learn facts and Geography of Benin including Major Geographical Features, Natural resources, Region, area, Capital, Border countries, rivers in Benin.
Geography of Benin
- Benin, a narrow, key-shaped, north-south strip of land in West Africa, lies between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer. Its altitude ranges from 6°30′ N to 12°30′ N and its longitude from 1° E to 3°40′ E. It is bounded by Togo to the west, Burkina Faso and Niger to the north, Nigeria to the east, and the Bight of Benin to the south.
- It is slightly bigger than the nation of Bulgaria. It extends from the Niger River in the north to the Atlantic Ocean in the south, a distance of 700 km (435 mi).
- The country can be divided into four main areas from
- The south to the north.
- The low-lying,
- Sandy, and
- coastal plain.
- Benin has fields 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.
Region:
- West Africa
- Sub-Saharan Africa
Area:
Ranked 102nd
Capital:
Porto-novo
Population:
1.18 Crores
Bordering Countries:
- Burkina Faso
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Togo
Total Size:
112,622 km2
Geographical Coordinates:
9.3077° N, 2.3158° E
World Region or Continent:
Africa
General Terrain:
Flat to undulating plain; some hills and mountains
Geographical Low Point:
Atlantic Ocean Sea Level
Geographical High Point:
Mont Sokbaro
Climate:
- Benin’s climate is hot and humid. Annual rainfall in the coastal area.
- 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.
Major cities:
- Cotonou
- Porto-Novo
- Parakou
- Djougou
- Bohicon
- Kandi
- Abomey
- Natitingou
- Lokossa
- Ouidah
Major Land forms:
- The landscape transitions from a narrow and somewhat sandy coastal area to a marshy land with lagoons that rise into the La Terre de Barre Plateau.
- The wooded savannah of the plateau continues on into the foothills of the Atakora Mountains of the northwest, a branch of the Togo Mountains
Major Rivers and Lakes:
Major Rivers:
- Oli River.
- Sota River. Bouli River. Tassiné River.
- Alibori River. Pako River.
- Mékrou River.
Major Lakes:
- Lake Ahémé
- Lake Aziri.
- Lake Nokoué
- Lake Porto Novo.
- Lake Sele.
- Lake Toho.
- Togbadji Lagoon
Environmental issues:
- Deforestation,
- Desertification
Natural Resources:
- Oil,
- Limestone,
- Marble,
- Timber
Major Geographical Features:
Topography:
- The southern part of Benin is characterized by the coastal Zone Fluvio- lagunaire (ZFL), made of lagoons and marshes and surrounded by the Terre de Barre (TB), a fertile plateau made of iron clay cut with depressions and often covered by immense palm groves
Oceans:
Gulf of Guinea. Atlantic Ocean
Islands:
- Lete Island
Mountain Ranges:
- Mont Sokbaro
- Mont igbéré koino
- Kataripienga
- Tanatouta
- soubakpérou
- Yetamoute
States of Benin:
- Alibori
- Atakora
- Atlantique
- Borgou
- Donga
- Mono
- Oueme
- Zo
Facts about Benin Map:
- Benin is named after the body of water on which it lies – the ‘Bight of Benin’.
- The people of Benin are called as Beninese.
- Benin became independent from France on August 1, 1960.
- The capital region of the country and the area nearby was referred as ‘Slave Coast’ from as early as the 17th century. During the trans-Atlantic slave trade, a large number of slaves were shipped to the New World.
- By about 1750, the Kingdom of Dahomey (a part of Benin) was earning an estimated £250,000 per year by selling Africans to the European slave-traders.
- The last ship of slaves departed from Dahomey for Brazil in 1885.
- The region was a French colony for 58 years between 1900 and 1958
- The capital of Benin—Porto Novo—was developed as a port for the slave trade.
- The country was named Benin on November 30, 1975. Earlier it was known as Dahomey.
- Indigenous languages such as Fon and Yoruba are commonly spoken in Benin.
- The country measures about 325 km (202 mi) at its widest point.
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