Benin

Map of Benin

Country name	Republic of Benin
Capital	Porto-Novo (official capital)
Independence	1 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday	National Day, 1 August (1960)
Population	9,598,787 (July 2012 est.)
Sex ratio	1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Nationality	Beninese (singular and plural)
Religions	Catholic 27.1%, Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%, Protestant 10.4% (Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, other Protestant 2.2%), other Christian 5.3%, other 15.5% (2002 census)
Languages	French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Literacy	Age 15 and over can read and write Total population: 42.4% Male: 55.2% Female: 30.3% (2010 census)
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
Exports - commodities	Cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood
Imports - commodities	Foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products
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