Total area: 112,620 km2
land area: 110,620 km2

Comparative area: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: 1,989 km total
Burkina 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

Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Land use: arable land 12%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and woodland 35%; other 45%, includes irrigated NEGL%

Environment: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter; deforestation; desertification

Note: recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; no natural harbors

NOTE: The information regarding Benin on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Benin Geography 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Benin Geography 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.