April 2024 Geography Bee Quiz

Learn more about the wonderful world with the help of a GeoFact of the Day Geography Bee Quiz (↗) like this one! I hope you enjoy these tasty morsels of knowledge. The answers to this quiz are listed below — enjoy and good luck!

1)      To aid in the dispersal of dandelion seeds by wind (or when people blow on the dandelion), a feature known as the _______ acts like a “parachute” to keep the seeds afloat.
A — pappus
B — petal
C — stamen
D — husk

2)      True or false: EQUATORIAL GUINEA is situated directly on the Equator Line.

3)      Once known as Belgian Congo and later as Zaire, this vast country lies east of the smaller REPUBLIC of the CONGO.
A — ANGOLA
B — BENIN
C — DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC of the CONGO (D.R. Congo)
D — DJIBOUTI





















ANSWERS

Question 1:
A . . . . . pappus

Question 2:
False . . . . . slightly north of the Equator by about 1 to 2 degrees

Question 3:
C . . . . . Democratic Republic of the Congo

Benin Post is Updated

My Benin post (↗) — link opens in a new tab or window — is updated with more information. Thanks for visiting GeoFact of the Day today!

New Blog Map of Benin

The new Republic of BENIN map on GeoFact of the Day provides accurate placements of towns, cities, and country borders. Feel free to comment on what you think about my map, and feel free to share your suggestions in regards to future maps! Access the Benin post (↗) to enjoy the newest addition to GeoFact of the Day's cartographic collection!

Benin is Known for...

●    Routes des Esclaves (Slave Road)
●    Mashed yam
●    Ganvié stilt village
●    Gory fetish markets
●    Temple des Pythons

Listed in The Africa Book; the MLA citation is below. What are other "trademarks" of this African country? Feel free to share your thoughts with a comment!

Phillips et al. The Africa Book: A Journey through Every
          Country in the Continent. Lonely Planet, 2007.

— #AfricaWeek —

Benin Exports

The following produce and materials are major exports of BENIN: cashews, construction materials, cotton, limestone, marble, okra, palm oil and other palm products, shea butter, small offshore oil reserves, textiles, and seafood. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports in 2016 include India (top importer), Malaysia, Bangladesh, Belarus, China, Nigeria, Niger, Togo, Egypt, Vietnam, Côte d'Ivoire, Albania, France, Denmark, Pakistan, the United States, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Ghana, and Burkina Faso.

Benin Endangered Species

As of September 22nd, 2014, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ lists four critically endangered species and sixteen endangered species in BENIN, a vertically skinny West African country formerly colonized by France until 1960. The four critically endangered species of the IUCN Red List for Benin are the Atlantic Goliath Grouper, Largetooth Sawfish, African Slender-Snouted Crocodile, and the Smalltooth Sawfish. Formerly, the data on the African Slender-Snouted Crocodile was deficient, so it was hard to determine the status of this species. Now there is more information to determine that it is critically endangered. Even though it is critically endangered, this crocodile's range is quite extensive and is divided into two sections: a West African area including the countries of Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and a Central African area including Cameroon, western and southern Central African Republic, much of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and possibly Equatorial Guinea.

Discover more about Benin! (link to my blog post)

Africa's Thin Countries

If you looked at a map of Africa, you may or may not have noticed that there are several small, very thin countries. While countries such as Lesotho and Sierra Leone are rather round, Africa is home to five extremely skinny countries. The West Africa region boasts the most with three: they are BENIN, GAMBIA*, and TOGO. East Africa has one country that is diagonally skinny: ERITREA, bordering the Red Sea and located north of Ethiopia. Located in Southern Africa, MALAWI is the remaining skinny country. It straddles the vertically oriented Lake Malawi and the Great Rift Valley.

* Gambia's north and south borders are on both sides of the horizontally flowing Gambia River

Some Facts About Benin

Located in West Africa, BENIN is a small and vertically skinny country west of Nigeria and east of Togo, another skinny country. The capital, Porto-Novo, is located near the Atlantic Ocean coast and above a river that runs parallel to the coastline. Over 60% of the population has less than $2 per day to live off of as of 2011, according to the National Geographic atlas cited below. The population is expected to grow more than 100% by the year 2050. The percent of people living in urban areas is relatively low, but may rise as people continue to go to cities like Porto-Novo and Cotonou to find better economic opportunities. The largest sector of the economy is services. The official language is French, but Fon and Yoruba — among other languages — are present as well.

>>> Visit my Benin post to learn more!

***Credit for Statistics: National Geographic Collegiate Atlas of the World. Second Edition. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2011.

Benin

Officially known as the République du Bénin in the French language, the Republic of BENIN is a geographically slender country in West Africa that achieved independence from France in August 1960. Benin is not landlocked due to its small albeit important access to the Atlantic Ocean. The country is a neighbor to four bordering countries: Burkina Faso towards the northwest, Niger towards the north, Nigeria towards the east, and Togo towards the west. The climate of Benin is typically semiarid in the north and tropical in the south; coastal areas are frequently hot, humid, and rainy. Benin’s currency is the West African CFA Franc, and its ISO 4217 currency code is XOF. Some of the country’s exports for global trade ↗ are cashews, construction materials, cotton, limestone, marble, okra, seafood, shea butter, and textiles. In addition to cashews, cotton, and okra, chief crops grown throughout Benin include beans, cassava, maize (corn), palm oil, peanuts, and yams.

● ● ● ● ●  People and Places  ● ● ● ● ●  According to Encyclopædia Britannica, Benin’s population in the year 2020 is about 12,252,000 and is ranked 79th among populations of the whole world’s countries, dependencies, and territories. With a population of about 267,191 (year 2014) within the city limits and more than one million in the metropolitan area, Porto-Novo serves as the national capital of Benin. Other major Beninese cities include Cotonou, Abomey-Calavi located 12.3 kilometers northwest of Cotonou, Godomey located 10.1 kilometers west of Cotonou, Aplahoué, Bohicon, Djougou, Kandi, Malanville, and Parakou. Notable places and sites of interest all across the country include Agongointo-Zoungoudo Archaeological Park in Bohicon, the Artisanal Center in Cotonou, Fidjrosse Beach, the lake village of Ganvié, La Porte du Non-Retour in Ouidah, the bustling Marche Dantokpa in Cotonou, the mighty Monument Amazone in Cotonou, Musée de la Fondation Zinsou in Ouidah, and Musée en Plein Air (Open-Air Museum) in Parakou. UNESCO World Heritage Sites situated throughout Benin include Koutammakou (Land of the Batammariba), the Royal Palaces of Abomey, and the transnational W-Arly-Pendjari Complex.

As of 2022, over 50 languages are used for communication. French is the official language, and Fon and Yoruba are additional major languages. Other languages include Aguna, Aja, Anii, Anufo, Ayizo Gbe, Baatonum, Bariba, Biali, Boko, Borgu Fulfulde, Ci Gbe, Defi Gbe, Dendi, Ditammari, Ede Cabe, Ede Ica, Ede Idaca, Ede Ije, Ede Nago, Foodo, Gbesi Gbe, Gen (Mina), Gorgal Fulfulde, Goun, Gourmanchéma, Hausa, Ifè, Kabiyè, Kotafon Gbe, Kyanga, Lama, Lukpa, Maxi Gbe, Mbelime, Miyobe, Mokole, Nago (Northern and Southern), Nateni, Ngangam, Notre, Saxwe Gbe, Songhai, Tchumbuli, Tem, Tofin Gbe, Waama, Waci Gbe, Weme Gbe, Xwela Gbe, Xwla Gbe (Eastern and Western), and Yom. Benin is comprised of about 42 ethnic groups, including Adja (Aja), Aizo, Bariba, Dendi, Fon (about 40% of Beninese people), Fulani (Peul), Goun, Holi, Mina, Otammari (Ditamari/Somba), Pilapila, Yoa-Lokpa, and Yoruba (Nagot). About 47% of Beninese citizens are believers in ethnic religions and beliefs, followed by Christians (32%), Muslims (20%), and Bahá’í believers (0.21%).

● ● ● ● ●  Land and Water Features  ● ● ● ● ●  The highest point in Benin is typically considered to be Mont Sokbaro. Not far from Togo, the peak stands 658 meters and 2,159 feet high between the towns of Aledjo-Koura and Bassila in the Atakora Mountains — known in French as the Chaîne de l’Atacora and sometimes called the Togo Mountains. Several other high points in Benin include Soubakpérou (619 meters), Dimansenntari (602 meters), Tanatouta (547 meters), and Koulé Ekou (456 meters). Extending into portions of neighboring Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo, the Sahel is a vast grassland region known for being south of the Sahara Desert. National parks include Pendjari near Burkina Faso and “W” National Park near Burkina Faso and Niger.

Benin has an approximately 121-kilometer and 75-mile coastline along the Atlantic Ocean, specifically the Gulf of Guinea. The Bight of Benin is a smaller bay within the Gulf of Guinea. Navigation from land to the ocean and vice versa is difficult due to Benin’s various sandbanks and sandbars. Several notable rivers connect interior communities of Benin with the coastline. Beginning close to the northern Beninese town of Malanville near the border with Niger, the Alibori River veers westward off from the mighty Niger River situated along the Benin-Niger border. The Alibori then flows past Bembéréké and eventually makes way for the Ouémé River near the town of N’Dali. The Ouémé River then flows toward Lake Nokoué near Cotonou. The Okpara River forms the central section of Benin’s border with Nigeria — flowing past communities such as N’Dali, Parakou, Tchaouru, Kilibo, Kaboua, Okio, Savé, and Djabata before reconnecting with the Ouémé River. Other rivers and tributaries include the Donenga, Gona, Kara, Kouffou, Mekrou, Momongou, Oli, Pendjari, Tami, and Tigou.

This post was updated with more information in December 2023. GeoFact of the Day’s map of Benin was designed in September 2019.