Land and Resources, Environmental Issues

Access to safe water in Benin has increased considerably since 1980, at least in urban areas. Deforestation rates are higher than the average for Africa, and only 24 percent (2000) of Benin’s land area remains forested. About 7 percent (1997) of the country is protected in national parks, but poaching continues to threaten wildlife populations. Droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in the north.