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Benin - Geography

Benin, a narrow, north-south strip of land in West Africa, lies between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer. Benin's latitude ranges from 6o30N to 12o30N and its longitude from 10E to 3o40E. Benin 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.

With an area of 112,622 square kilometers, roughly the size of Pennsylvania, Benin extends from the Niger River in the north to the Atlantic Ocean in the south, a distance of 700 kilometers (about 500 mi.). Although the coastline measures 121 kilometers (about 80 mi.), the country measures about 325 kilometers (about 215 mi.) at its widest point. It is one of the smaller countries in West Africa: eight times smaller than Nigeria, its neighbor to the east. It is, however, twice as large as Togo, its neighbor to the west. A relief map of Benin shows that it has little variation in elevation (average elevation 200 meters).

Benin, formerly known as Dahomey, is characterized by a great diversity of landscapes and ecosystems. Indeed, the Pendjari National Park and the W Regional Park, located in northern Benin, are two of the most protected and biodiverse semiarid grassland ecosystems in West Africa. The mountainous region of the northwest constitutes the water reservoir for the Republics of Benin and Niger.

In contrast, the central part of the country forms a large complex of plateaus covered by a mosaic of savannas, gallery forests, woodland, and cropland. Agriculture is a major part of Benin’s economy, and Benin is one of Africa’s largest cotton producers. In the south, the landscape is very distinct with immense palm groves scattered across the fertile plateau of the Terre de Barre.

The coastal region is characterized by lagoons and marshes formed by the three main rivers of the country flowing into the coastal sandy barriers. The largest lagoon, Nokoué Lake, separates Benin’s two largest cities, Cotonou and Porto-Novo. More than half of the population is concentrated in the south on only one-tenth of the country’s land.

The Benin coast is made up of wide sandy beaches. Inside the country there are trays covered with wooded savanna. The country is crossed by numerous rivers that flow into lakes and lagoons, and which are at the origin of its richness of animals.

Beyond the lagoons of Porto Novo, Nokoue, Ouidah and Grand Popo is a plateau rising gradually to the heights of the Atakora Mountains. From the highlands run two tributaries of the Niger, while southwards the Ouéc flows down to Nokoue lagoon. Mono River flows into the sea at Grand Popo and forms a frontier with Togo.

The country can be divided into four main areas from the south to the north. The low-lying, sandy, coastal plain (highest elevation 10 meters) is, at most, 10 kilometers wide. It is marshy and dotted with lakes and lagoons communicating with the ocean. The plateaus of southern Benin (altitude between 20 meters and 200 meters) are split by valleys running north to south along the Couffo, Zou, and Oueme Rivers. An area of flat lands dotted with rocky hills whose altitude seldom reaches 400 meters extends around Nikki and Save. Finally, a range of mountains extends along the northwest border and into Togo; this is the Atacora, with the highest point, Mont Sokbaro, at 658 meters.

Two types of landscape predominate in the south. Benin has fields of 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. In the north and the northwest of Benin the Reserve du W du Niger and Pendjari National Park attract tourists eager to see elephants, lions, antelopes, hippos, and monkeys.

The South of Benin has several beautiful beaches and lagoons with pile villages. What characterizes this area besides its beautiful landscape, are its voodoo practices and the interesting, often gruesome history of glorious kingdoms, slavery and colonialism.

The northern part of the country distinguishes itself by the combination of vast savannas, landscapes and hills with plenty of waterfalls. Of special interest is the area of Somba with its unique architecture and exceptional traditions and customs.

In the Pendjari wildlife park, also in the North, many animals like elephants, lions, baboons, antelopes, buffaloes and many different types of birds can be observed. In short, Benin offers brilliant opportunities for nature and culture lovers.