Benin possesses railway and road infrastructure, as well as two seaports. Benin currently does not have rail connections to other countries, but new proposals seek to change this.

Railways

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thumb|left|upright|Freight train along the road in [[Cotonou]]

Benin has a total of of single track, railway. Benin does not, at this time, share railway links with adjacent countries - Niger possesses no railways to connect to, and while the other surrounding countries, Nigeria, Togo and Burkina Faso, do have railway networks, no connections have been built. In 2006, an Indian proposal appeared, which aims to link the railways of Benin with Niger and Burkina Faso. Benin will be a participant in the AfricaRail project.

Roads

Benin possesses a total of 6,787 km of highway, of which 1,357 km are paved. Of the paved highways in the country, there are 10 expressways. This leaves 5,430 km of unpaved road.

The Trans–West African Coastal Highway crosses Benin, connecting it to Nigeria to the east, and Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast to the west. When construction in Liberia and Sierra Leone is finished, the highway will continue west to seven other Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) nations. A paved highway also connects Benin northwards to Niger, and through that country to Burkina Faso and Mali to the north-west.

With the exception of the road linking Cotonou in the south to Malanville on the border with Niger in the north, and from Parakou in central Benin to Natitingou in the northwestern part of the country, roads in Benin are generally in poor condition and are often impassable during the rainy season. Benin's unpaved roads vary widely in quality; deep sand and potholes are common. During the rainy season from mid-June to mid-September, dirt roads often become impassable. Four-wheel drive vehicles with full spare tires and emergency equipment are recommended.

Most of the main streets in Cotonou are paved, but side streets are often dirt with deep potholes. Traffic moves on the right, as in the United States. Cotonou has no public transportation system; many Beninese people rely on bicycles, mopeds, motorbikes, and zémidjans (moped taxis). Buses and bush taxis offer service in the interior. and Porto-Novo. The country does not have a merchant marine. The Port of Cotonou is a member of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH).

Airports

The civil aviation authority in Benin is the Agence Nationale de l'Aviation Civile du Bénin (ANAC).

See also

  • List of airports in Benin
  • Railway stations in Benin

References

  • Much of the material in this article is adapted from the CIA World Factbook 2000.
  • UN Map of Benin
  • Air Afrique (L'histoire d'Air Afrique - Mon « ÈRE » AFRIQUE de Yacouba N'Diaye)