Benin Geography Profile 2009

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

9 30 N, 2 15 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 112,622 sq km
land: 110,622 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: 23.53%
permanent crops: 2.37%
other: 74.1% (2005)

Irrigated land

120 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources

25.8 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.13 cu km/yr (32%/23%/45%)
per capita: 15 cu m/yr (2001)

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, Whaling
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