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Climate: Benin has a tropical climate with
three climatic zones. (1.) The northern zone which has two seasons
the wet season from July to September and the dry season which
is hot with very low humidity. (2.) The central zone which has
two wet seasons, a long one between March and June and a short
one between October and mid November as well as a long dry season
between November and March. (3.) The coastal zone to the south
which has a steady temperature with rainfall occurring throughout
the year especially during the Guinean Monsoon between May to
October. The prevailing wind is the Saharan Harmattan, a hot
dry dust laden wind that blows from the northeast and occurs
between December to March. Average annual precipitation varies
between 960 mm (38 inches) in the north and 1,340 mm (53 inches)
in the south. Average annual temperature ranges in Cotonou are
from 23 degrees Celsius (73 degrees Fahrenheit) in August to
28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit) in May.
Location: Western
Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo .
Coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15
E
Coastline: 121 km
Languages: French (official), Fon and
Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at
least six major ones in north
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