Banikoara
Commune, arrondissement and city
Banikoara is located in Benin
Banikoara
Banikoara
Location in Benin
Coordinates: 11°18′N 2°26′E / 11.300°N 2.433°E / 11.300; 2.433
Country Benin
DepartmentAlibori Department
Area
 • Commune, arrondissement and city4,383 km2 (1,692 sq mi)
Elevation
300 m (1,000 ft)
Population
 (2013)
 • Commune, arrondissement and city248,621
 • Density57/km2 (150/sq mi)
 • Metro
28,402
Time zoneUTC+1 (WAT)
Postal address
BP: 01
Area code(+223) 29

Banikoara is a town, arrondissement and commune located in the Alibori Department of Benin. It lies 69 kilometers west of Kandi at the heart of the most productive cotton-growing region in Benin. Its name is a Europeanized version of a Bariba phrase meaning "Bani's town", and honors its founder, Bani Gansé.

Banikoara, like many areas of Benin, is home to a constituent monarchy.[1]

Administrative divisions

Banikoara is subdivided into 10 arrondissements; Banikoara, Founougo, Gomparou, Goumori, Kokey, Kokiborou, Ounet, Sompérékou, Soroko and Toura. They contain 53 villages and 11 urban districts.[2]

The arrondissement of Banikoara contains the villages of Arbonga, Demanou, Derou Garou, Kokire, Kommon, Kori Ginguiri, Tokey Banta, Wagou, Weterou and Yadikparou.[3]

Demographics

The commune covers an area of 4383 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 152,028 people.[2][4] In 2008 there was an estimated 24,917 living in the main town.[5]

Economy

Most of the population are engaged in agricultural activities followed by trade and handicrafts. 51 024,00 hectares of land are devoted to agriculture, accounting for 7.32% of the total land area.[2] The main crops grown are maize, cotton, sorghum and cowpeas.[2]

Electricity used in Banikora often has to be produced by a generator due to a defective solar system and unreliable mains electricity.[6] The telephone lines are in poor condition, which makes it difficult to maintain a regular and reliable connection for Internet access.[6] Banikoara is 60 kilometres from the nearest hard road and its development is hampered by its isolation until infrastructure develops.[6]

Media

UNESCO has donated four computers and other equipment and provided an initial two-week training and been responsible for the establishment of a radio station in Banikoara in 1994.[6] They had provided education to local people in basic IT and Internet skills since February 2002, text processing, photocopying, scanning, printing and photography.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Présidence du Haut conseil des rois du Bénin:Kpodégbé Lanmanfan reconduit pour un nouveau mandat | Benin : Actualité, politique, Sport, Santé, Artetculture". Archived from the original on 2022-01-04.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Banikoara". Atlas Monographique des Communes du Benin. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Point des Realisations par Village" (PDF). Direction Générale de l'Eau du Benin. 24 April 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "Communes of Benin". Statoids. Archived from the original on 2 January 2010. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Banikoara". World Gazetteer. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Benin-Banikoara". UNESCO. Retrieved January 8, 2010.


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