orth Atlantic Ocean,
between Nigeria and Togo

Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total area: 112,620 sq km
land area: 110,620 sq km
comparative area: 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

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low
mountains
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Tanekas 641 m

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%

Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: recent droughts have severely affected marginal
agriculture in north; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching
threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in
winter
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification,
Law of the Sea

Geographic note: no natural harbors

People
------

Population: 5,709,529 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (male 1,376,531; female 1,367,394)
15-64 years: 50% (male 1,349,386; female 1,480,251)
65 years and over: 2% (male 60,030; female 75,937) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.32% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 46.76 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 13.53 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 105.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.69 years
male: 50.74 years
female: 54.7 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.64 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
adje