Table 1 Demographic, ethnic, linguistic, religious and ecological characteristics of three municipalities in Benin: Karimama, Za-Kpota and Bopa

Ethnicity

Dendi, peulh, gourmantché, Haoussa, Yorouba, Fon, Bariba

Fon, Mahi, Yoruba, Dendi

Sahouê, les Ayizɔ, les Péɖah, les kɔtafɔn, Fɔn, les Mina, les Adja

Local language

Dendi

Fon

Sahouê

Religion

Muslim (91.3%); Traditional; Catholic (1.5%); Protestant (0.1%), Other (3.5%)

Traditional (75.4%), Catholic (7.7%), Protestant (1.1%), Muslim (0.5%), Other (15.3%)

Traditional (83.1%); Muslim (0.3%), Catholic (11.2%), Protestant (0.6%), Other (4.8%)

Number of inhabitants

People: 66.353

People: 132.818

People: 96 281

Ecology (climate and vegetation)

Karimama enjoys a Sahelo-Sudanese climate with two distinct seasons: The dry season, from November to mid-May. The rainy season, from mid-May to October. Average annual rainfall is around 600 mm

The average temperature varies from 40 °C during April, May and June, to 12 to 25 °C from November to March, when the harmattan blows. Karimama's vegetation consists mainly of Sudanian and Sudano-Sahelian savannah

There are also gallery forests along the watercourses

Some of the plant species found in the region

The commune of Za-Kpota has a tropical climate with two seasons:

Rainy season: This generally runs from March to November, with heavier rainfall during this period

Dry season: The dry season runs from December to February, with warm temperatures but less rainfall. Due to the tropical climate, the dominant vegetation in the commune of Za-Kpota is dense tropical forest. There are areas of savannah in the surrounding area, characterized by tall grasses and scattered shrubs

Bopa is a commune in Benin with a characteristic dry winter savannah climate and two main climatic seasons:

Dry season (November to March and July to September):

During these periods, rainfall is less frequent

The climate is drier, with high temperatures

Wet season (April to July and September to mid-November):

During these periods, rainfall is more abundant

The vegetation is more lush, and temperatures can be more moderate. Bopa's vegetation consists mainly of Sudanian and Sudano-Sahelian savannah. There are also gallery forests along the watercourses