Benin vs. Burkina Faso
Geography
| Benin | Burkina Faso | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo | Western Africa, north of Ghana |
| Geographic coordinates | 9 30 N, 2 15 E | 13 00 N, 2 00 W |
| Map references | Africa | Africa |
| Area | total: 112,622 sq km land: 110,622 sq km water: 2,000 sq km | total: 274,200 sq km land: 273,800 sq km water: 400 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Pennsylvania | slightly larger than Colorado |
| Land boundaries | total: 2,123 km border countries (4): Burkina Faso 386 km, Niger 277 km, Nigeria 809 km, Togo 651 km | total: 3,611 km border countries (6): Benin 386 km, Cote d'Ivoire 545 km, Ghana 602 km, Mali 1325 km, Niger 622 km, Togo 131 km |
| Coastline | 121 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 200 nm; note: the US does not recognize this claim continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm | none (landlocked) |
| Climate | tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north | three climate zones including a hot tropical savanna with a short rainy season in the southern half, a tropical hot semi-arid steppe climate typical of the Sahel region in the northern half, and small area of hot desert in the very north of the country bordering the Sahara Desert |
| Terrain | mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains | Mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in the west and southeast. Occupies an extensive plateau with savanna that is grassy in the north and gradually gives way to sparse forests in the south. (2019) |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 273 m | highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m mean elevation: 297 m |
| Natural resources | small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber | gold, manganese, zinc, limestone, marble, phosphates, pumice, salt |
| Land use | agricultural land: 31.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 22.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 3.5% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 4.9% (2018 est.) forest: 40% (2018 est.) other: 28.7% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 44.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 22% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 37% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 21.93% (2018 est.) forest: 19.3% (2018 est.) other: 36.5% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 230 sq km (2012) | 550 sq km (2016) |
| Natural hazards | hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March | recurring droughts |
| Environment - current issues | inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification (the spread of the desert into agricultural lands in the north is accelerated by regular droughts) | recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation (2019) |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban |
| Geography - note | sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands | landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas |
| Total renewable water resources | 26.39 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 13.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | the population is primarily located in the south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast; most of the north remains sparsely populated with higher concentrations of residents in the west at shown in this population distribution map | Most of the population is located in the center and south. Nearly one-third of the population lives in cities. The capital and largest city is Ouagadougou (Ouaga), with a population of 1.8 million as shown in this population distribution map |
Source: CIA Factbook
