Benin10.32° N, 2.35° E
The population grows 3.26% a year, at 39.82 per 1,000 births per 1,000 people.
population growth +3.26% · 5th/230 · birth rate 39.82 per 1,000 · 3rd/226
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area
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The current name comes from a local ethnic group, the Bini, whose name may be related to the Arabic word "bani," meaning "sons." The former name, Dahomey, came from Dan Homé, a previous kingdom in the area.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands. Benin lies in Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin between Nigeria and Togo. Its terrain is mostly flat to undulating plain, with some hills and low mountains.
Its natural resources include small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, and timber. An unnamed elevation located southeast of Kotopounga is the highest point. The Atlantic Ocean is the lowest point.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
A tropical climate brings hot, humid conditions in the south and semiarid conditions in the north. A hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect the north.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Its ethnic groups include Fon and related, Adja and related, Yoruba and related, and Bariba and related. They also include Fulani and related, Ottamari and related, Yoa-Lokpa and related, and Dendi and related. People practice Muslim, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Vodoun, other Christian, and other traditional religions in Benin. Protestant affiliations include Celestial, Methodist, and other Protestant, while some people have no religion.
The highest concentration of people is in the south, in and around cities on the Atlantic coast. Northern areas remain sparsely populated, with higher concentrations of residents in the west.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
CIA World Factbook
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