Short facts about the geography of Benin

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo

Geographic coordinates:

9 30 N, 2 15 E

Map references:

Africa

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:  13% permanent crops:  4% permanent pastures:  4% forests and woodland:  31% other:  48% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

100 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter

Environment - current issues:

inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

no natural harbors

Source: World Factbook