Bassila | |
|---|---|
Commune | |
 Commune location in the Donga Department | |
  Bassila Location in Benin | |
| Coordinates: 9°01′N 1°40′E / 9.017°N 1.667°E | |
| Country |  Benin |
| Department | Donga Department |
| Area | |
• Total | 5,661 km2 (2,186 sq mi) |
| Population (2013) | |
• Total | 130,770 |
| • Density | 23/km2 (60/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT 0) |
Bassila [ba.si.la] is a town, arrondissement, and commune located in the Donga Department of Benin. The commune covers an area of 120 square kilometres and as of 2013 had a population of 130,770 people.[1][2]
The RNIE 3 highway of Benin passes through the town of Bassila and the commune. The main ethnic groups in the commune are in the order of significance: Yoruba/Nagot who are the native dwellers, as well as smaller migrant communities of Anii and Tem people otherwise known as 'Kotokoli'. The Nagots historically migrated from Nigeria during a westward Yoruba expansion. The town of Bassila is largely Anii, and is the largest Anii-speaking village. Given that Bassila is located in proximity to the border with Togo, a significant proportion of the population are of Togolese origin (Anii and Kotokoli migrants).[3] Bassila is the second largest arrondissement in Benin by land area.
Mont Sokbaro, widely cited as the highest point of Benin, lies in Bassila commune, on the border with Togo.
- ^ "Bassila". Atlas Monographique des Communes du Benin. Retrieved January 5, 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Communes of Benin". Statoids. Archived from the original on 2 January 2010. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
- ^ Segnon, AC; Achigan-Dako, EG (2014). "Comparative analysis of diversity and utilization of edible plants in arid and semi-arid areas in Benin". J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 10: 80. doi:10.1186/1746-4269-10-80. PMC 4290139. PMID 25539993.