Gogounou is a town, arrondissement

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...

 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...

, about 35 kilometres south 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...

. The commune covers an area of 4910 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 80,013 people.

Geography

Gogounou is located 71 kilometres from 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...

 and 628 kilometres from Cotonou

Cotonou

-Demographics:*1979: 320,348 *1992: 536,827 *2002: 665,100 *2005: 690,584 The main languages spoken in Cotonou include the Fon language, Aja language, Yoruba language and French.-Transport:...

. It is bounded to the north by the communes of Kandi and Banikoara

Banikoara

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...

, south by Bembéréké

Bembèrèkè

Bembèrèkè is a town, arrondissement, and commune located in the Borgou Department of Benin. The commune covers an area of 3348 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 94,580 people.-References:...

 and Sinendé

Sinendé

Sinendé is a town, arrondissement, and commune in the Borgou Department of central Benin. The commune covers an area of 2289 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 63,373 people.-References:...

, west with Kérou

Kérou

Kérou is a town, arrondissement and commune located in the Atakora Department of Benin.The commune covers an area of 3745 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 62,632 people....

 and to east by Ségbana

Ségbana

Ségbana is a town, arrondissement and commune located in the Alibori Department of Benin.The commune covers an area of 4471 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 52,639 people.-Geography:...

.

Administrative divisions

Gogounou is subdivided into 6 arrondissements; Gogounou, Bagou

Bagou, Benin

Bagou is a town and arrondissement in the Alibori Department of northeastern Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Gogounou. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin on February 15, 2002, the...

, Gounarou

Gounarou

Gounarou is a town and arrondissement in the Alibori Department of northeastern Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Gogounou. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin on February 15, 2002, the...

, Ouara

Ouara, Benin

Ouara is a town and arrondissement in the Alibori Department of northeastern Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Gogounou. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin on February 15, 2002, the...

, Sori

Sori, Benin

Sori is a town and arrondissement in the Alibori Department of northeastern Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Gogounou. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin on February 15, 2002, the...

 and Zoungou-Pantrossi

Zoungou-Pantrossi

Zoungou-Pantrossi is a town and arrondissement in the Alibori Department of northeastern Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Gogounou. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin on February 15, 2002, the...

. They contain 34 villages and 4 urban districts.

Economy

Most of the population are engaged in agricultural activities followed by trade, transportation and handicrafts. 29 980,00 hectares of land are devoted to agriculture, accounting for 9.96 % of the total land area. The main crops grown are maize

Maize

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 yams

Yam (vegetable)

Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea . These are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania...

.

As of May 2009, Gogounou has five hours of electricity per night from 7 pm until midnight. The two primary sources of water in Gogounou are wells and foot powered pumps. The town of Gogounou has a post office, fa ixed telephone line service, and four cellular communication services available as of August 2009. These are Bell Benin (BBcom), Global Com (Glo), MTN and Moov. Networks with GSM enabled networks that can provide internet access through mobile devices.

Education

The town of Gogounou has at least two public primary schools, one Catholic private primary school, and one secondary school. The secondary school is known as CEG Gogounou and has 754 male and 626 female students as of January 2010. There are 37 primary schools within the entire commune.