Kandi, Benin

Kandi
Commune, arrondissement and city
Kandi

Location in Benin

Coordinates: 11°07′43″N 2°56′13″E / 11.12861°N 2.93694°E / 11.12861; 2.93694Coordinates: 11°07′43″N 2°56′13″E / 11.12861°N 2.93694°E / 11.12861; 2.93694
Country  Benin
Department Alibori Department
Area
 • Total 3,421 km2 (1,321 sq mi)
Elevation 288 m (945 ft)
Population (2013)[1]
 • Total 177,683
 • Density 52/km2 (130/sq mi)
Time zone WAT (UTC+1)
Postal address BP: 30
Area code(s) (+229) 23

Kandi is a town, arrondissement and commune in the Alibori Department of eastern Benin. Originally a market town, Kandi is now primarily a farming centre. It lies on the nation's main north-south highway, 650 km from Cotonou and 325 miles (523 km) north of Porto-Novo.[2] The town is the capital of the department of Alibori. The commune covers an area of 3421 square kilometres and as of 2013 had a population of 177,683 people.[3][4] The town itself had a population of 27,227 in 2002.

History

Kandi was founded by the Dendi Kingdom, an offshoot of the Songhai Empire. The surrounded villages are Mokole Yoruba, who fled the wars of the foundation of the Oyo Kingdom. The surrounding countryside is Bariba.

Geography

The commune of Kandi is located 650 kilometres from Cotonou. Communally it is bounded to the north by Malanville, south by Gogounou, west by Banikoara and to the east with Ségbana.

Climate

Climate data for Kandi (1961–1990, extremes 1921–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 41.2
(106.2)		 43.0
(109.4)		 43.3
(109.9)		 43.9
(111)		 43.3
(109.9)		 40.9
(105.6)		 38.9
(102)		 39.9
(103.8)		 39.8
(103.6)		 41.5
(106.7)		 39.5
(103.1)		 39.5
(103.1)		 43.9
(111)
Average high °C (°F) 33.6
(92.5)		 36.4
(97.5)		 38.4
(101.1)		 38.6
(101.5)		 36.2
(97.2)		 33.3
(91.9)		 30.9
(87.6)		 30.2
(86.4)		 31.1
(88)		 34.2
(93.6)		 35.3
(95.5)		 33.8
(92.8)		 34.3
(93.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) 24.9
(76.8)		 27.8
(82)		 30.9
(87.6)		 32.1
(89.8)		 30.4
(86.7)		 28.1
(82.6)		 26.4
(79.5)		 26.0
(78.8)		 26.2
(79.2)		 27.8
(82)		 26.5
(79.7)		 24.8
(76.6)		 27.7
(81.9)
Average low °C (°F) 16.1
(61)		 19.2
(66.6)		 23.4
(74.1)		 25.6
(78.1)		 24.6
(76.3)		 22.9
(73.2)		 21.9
(71.4)		 21.8
(71.2)		 21.4
(70.5)		 21.4
(70.5)		 17.7
(63.9)		 15.8
(60.4)		 21.0
(69.8)
Record low °C (°F) 10.0
(50)		 12.6
(54.7)		 15.2
(59.4)		 17.0
(62.6)		 16.5
(61.7)		 14.9
(58.8)		 18.6
(65.5)		 19.0
(66.2)		 15.0
(59)		 14.0
(57.2)		 10.8
(51.4)		 5.0
(41)		 5.0
(41)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 0.2
(0.008)		 2.9
(0.114)		 8.2
(0.323)		 40.5
(1.594)		 107.0
(4.213)		 152.7
(6.012)		 196.9
(7.752)		 271.9
(10.705)		 190.9
(7.516)		 34.1
(1.343)		 0.5
(0.02)		 0.6
(0.024)		 1,006.6
(39.63)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 0 0 1 3 8 10 13 16 13 3 0 0 67
Average relative humidity (%) 33 28 36 52 65 75 82 85 85 76 54 40 59
Mean monthly sunshine hours 279.0 257.6 260.4 255.0 272.8 252.0 223.2 195.3 213.0 275.9 282.0 279.0 3,045.2
Source #1: NOAA[5]
Source #2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (humidity, 1951–1967),[6] Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)[7]

Administrative divisions

Kandi is subdivided into 10 arrondissements; Kandi I, Kandi II, Kandi III, Angaradébou, Bensékou, Donwari, Kassakou, Saah, Sam and Sonsoro. They contain 39 villages and 9 urban districts.[3]

Economy

Most of the population are engaged in agricultural activities followed by trade, transportation and handicrafts. The main crops grown are maize, cotton, kapok, millet and peanuts.[2][3] There are notable iron deposits of high quality in the vicinity.[2]

Transport

The town is situated on the RNIE 2 highway and is served by Kandi Airport, which is located north of the main town.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Benin at Geohive
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Kandi (Benin)". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 "Kandi". Atlas Monographique des Communes du Bénin. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Communes of Benin". Statoids. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
  5. ↑ "KANDI Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Klimatafel von Kandi, Prov. Borgou (Nordost) / Benin" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  7. ↑ "Station Kansi" (in French). Meteo Climat. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
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