Banikoara
Encyclopedia
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 means "Bani's town," and honors its founder, Bani Gansé.
, Gomparou
, Goumori
, Kokey
, Kokiborou
, Ounet
, Sompérékou
, Soroko
and Toura
. They contain 53 villages and 11 urban districts.
The arrondissement of Banikoara contains the villages of Arbonga
, Demanou
, Derou Garou
, Kokire
, Kommon
, Kori Ginguiri
, Tokey Banta
, Wagou
, Weterou
and Yadikparou
.
, cotton
, sorghum
and cowpea
s.
Electricity used in Banikora often has to be produced by a generator due to a defective solar system and unreliable mains electricity. The telephone lines are in poor condition, which makes it difficult to maintain a regular and reliable connection for Internet access. Banikoara is 60 kilometres from the nearest hard road and its development is hampered by its isolation until infrastructure develops.
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. They had provided education to local people in basic IT and Internet skills since February 2002, text processing, photocopying, scanning, printing and photography.
Arrondissements of Benin
The Arrondissements of Benin refer to the third-level administrative units of Benin, after Departments and communes. In turn they contain villages and may often have several quartiers or city districts/urban neighborhoods:...
and commune
Communes of Benin
The departments of Benin are subdivided into 77 communes, which in turn are divided into arrondissements and finally into villages or city districts. Prior to 1999 provinces were broken down into 84 districts, titled either urban or rural...
located in the Alibori Department
Alibori Department
Alibori is the largest and northernmost départements of Benin, with an area of 25,683 km² and a population of 355,950 . The department is subdivided into 6 communes, each centered at one of the principal towns: Banikoara, Gogounou, Kandi, Karimama, Malanville, and Ségbana. The department borders...
of Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
. It lies 69 kilometers west of Kandi
Kandi
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 north of Porto-Novo. The town is the capital of...
at the heart of the most productive cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
-growing region in Benin. Its name means "Bani's town," and honors its founder, Bani Gansé.
Administrative divisions
Banikoara is subdivided into 10 arrondissements; Banikoara, FounougoFounougo
Founougo is a town and arrondissement in the Alibori Department of northeastern Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Banikoara. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin on February 15, 2002, the...
, Gomparou
Gomparou
Gomparou is a town and arrondissement in the Alibori Department of northeastern Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Banikoara. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin on February 15, 2002, the...
, Goumori
Goumori
Goumori is a town and arrondissement in the Alibori Department of northeastern Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Banikoara. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin on February 15, 2002, the...
, Kokey
Kokey, Benin
Kokey is a town and arrondissement in the Alibori Department of northeastern Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Banikoara. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin on February 15, 2002, the...
, Kokiborou
Kokiborou
Kokiborou is a town and arrondissement in the Alibori Department of northeastern Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Banikoara. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin on February 15, 2002, the...
, Ounet
Ounet
Ounet is a town and arrondissement in the Alibori Department of northern Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Banikoara. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin on February 15, 2002, the arrondissement...
, Sompérékou
Sompérékou
Sompérékou is a town and arrondissement in the Alibori Department of northern Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Banikoara. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin on February 15, 2002, the...
, Soroko
Soroko
Soroko or Suroko is a town and arrondissement in the Alibori Department of northern Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Banikoara. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin on February 15, 2002, the...
and Toura
Toura
Toura is a town and arrondissement in the Alibori Department of northern Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Banikoara. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin on February 15, 2002, the arrondissement...
. They contain 53 villages and 11 urban districts.
The arrondissement of Banikoara contains the villages of Arbonga
Arbonga
Arbonga is a village in the commune of Banikoara in the Alibori Department of northern Benin....
, Demanou
Demanou
Demanou is a village in the commune of Banikoara in the Alibori Department of northern Benin....
, Derou Garou
Derou Garou
Derou Garou is a village in the commune of Banikoara in the Alibori Department of northern Benin....
, Kokire
Kokire
Kokire is a village in the commune of Banikoara in the Alibori Department of northern Benin....
, Kommon
Kommon
Kommon is a village in the commune of Banikoara in the Alibori Department of northern Benin....
, Kori Ginguiri
Kori Ginguiri
Kori Ginguiri is a village in the commune of Banikoara in the Alibori Department of northern Benin....
, Tokey Banta
Tokey Banta
Tokey Banta is a village in the commune of Banikoara in the Alibori Department of northern Benin....
, Wagou
Wagou
Wagou is a village in the commune of Banikoara in the Alibori Department of northern Benin....
, Weterou
Weterou
Weterou is a village in the commune of Banikoara in the Alibori Department of northern Benin....
and Yadikparou
Yadikparou
Yadikparou is a village in the commune of Banikoara in the Alibori Department of northern Benin....
.
Demographics
The commune covers an area of 4383 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 152,028 people. In 2008 there was an estimated 24,917 living in the main town.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. The main crops grown are maizeMaize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
and cowpea
Cowpea
The Cowpea is one of several species of the widely cultivated genus Vigna. Four cultivated subspecies are recognised:*Vigna unguiculata subsp. cylindrica Catjang...
s.
Electricity used in Banikora often has to be produced by a generator due to a defective solar system and unreliable mains electricity. The telephone lines are in poor condition, which makes it difficult to maintain a regular and reliable connection for Internet access. Banikoara is 60 kilometres from the nearest hard road and its development is hampered by its isolation until infrastructure develops.
Media
UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
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. They had provided education to local people in basic IT and Internet skills since February 2002, text processing, photocopying, scanning, printing and photography.