Comuna se intinde pe o suprafata de 28,75 km2 in nordul judetului, in depresiunea larga a Guruslaului la contact cu Culmea Salajului si masivul Dealu Mare-Prisaca.
In componenta comunei intra localitatile: Benesat - sat resedinta de comuna situat la o distanta de 44 km fată de municipiul Zalau, Alunis si Biusa.
Numarul total al locuitorilor comunei este de 1779 locuitori, avand o structura etnica dupa cum urmeaza: 71,50% erau romani si 28,50% maghiari.
Prima mentiune documentara despre Benesat apare in anul 1475 cand este amintit sub denumirea de Benedfalwa. Celelalte localitati sunt atestate mult mai devreme. Alunisul a fost mentionat sub denumirea de Sceplok in anul 1246 iar Biusa a fost atestata documentar in anul 1388 sub denumirea de Beushaza.
Cele doua sate, Benesat si Alunis, au fost greu incercate in perioada inundatiilor din anii '70. Economia este bine reprezentata de sectorul primar, unde cultura plantelor este primordiala. Peste 60% din suprafata agricola a comunei este ocupata de terenuri arabile de buna calitate, ocupand un loc important intre comunele recunoscute ca mari producatoare agricole din judet.
Acumularile mari de nisipuri si pietrisuri pe care le-a facut Somesul la intrarea in defileul Ticaului fac posibila exploatarea acestora in balastiere, fiind importante surse de venit pentru comuna.
Daca teritoriul comunei nu prezinta prea multe elemente peisagistice de mare atractie, cu exceptia vaii Somesului care isi ferestruieste cursul printr-un impresionant defileu, desfasurat pe o distanta de cca. 2 km infruntand rocile dure ale masivului Dealu Mare - Prisaca, fondul turistic de natura antropica are cateva elemente de mare valoare cum sunt statuia de piatra a Maicii Domnului, sculptura ce pare a fi opera sculptorului Ignat Ciocioian (1822) si biserica de lemn "Sfintii Arhangheli" din Benesat.
Valea Somesului ofera pentru iubitorii pescuitului sportiv un loc minunat pentru petrecerea timpului liber. Dupa multi ani fauna piscicola este din nou prezenta in apele acestui rau, masiv poluat in trecut de apele reziduale provenite de la combinatul de celuloza din Dej.
The administrative territory of the commune with a 28,75 square kms area extends on the northern part of the county, in the large Guruslau Basin, at the contact of Salaj Peak with Dealu Mare - Prisaca Massive.
There are three villages that belong to the administration of the commune: Benesat - the central village situated at 44 kms distance from Zalau city, Alunis and Biusa.
The total population of the commune counts, according to the last census, 1779 inhabitants, of which 71,50% are Romanians and 28,50% are Hungarians.
The central village, Benesat is first mentioned in documents in 1475, when it appeared under the name of Benedfalwa. The other villages are mentioned much earlier, Alunis in 1246 under the name of Sceplok and Biusa in 1388 under the name of Beushaza.
The floods in the seventies caused a lot of damage to Benesat and Alunis.
The economy of the commune is represented by the primary sector based on cultivation of plants. Over 60% of its agricultural territory occupy the first-rate arable lands. Due to this the commune has become one of the most important agricultural producers of the county.
The exploitation of the accumulated gravel and sand in the Somes means an important income for the commune.
Although the commune does not possess many attractive natural values, there is a picturesque part, namely the Somes Valley which is broken by an approx. two kms long defile. There are some anthropic spectacles that shouldn't be avoided, like Virgin Mary's stone statue which seems to be the work of the great sculptor, Ignat Ciocioian (1822) and the wooden church "Sfintii Arhangheli" in Benesat.
The Somes Valley offers a great fishing place for the sport anglers. Formerly the river has been polluted by the water come from the cellulose factory at Dej but now there are again a lot of fish in the river.
A megye eszaki reszen, a Zsiboi medenceben, a Tovishat es a Szamoscikoi rog talalkozasanal elterulo kozseg felulete 28,75 km2. A hozza tartozo falvak: Benedekfalva (Benesat) - a kozsegkozpont, mely 44 km-re talalhato Zilahtol, Szamosszeplak (Alunis) es Boshaza (Biusa).
A kozseg harom helysegbol all: Alsoban (Banisor) - a kozsegkozpont, 30 km-re talalhato Zilahtol, a megyeszekhelytol, Felsoban (Ban) es Pecsely (Peceiu).
A kozseg osszlakossaga 1779 fo, ebbol 71,50% roman es 28,50% magyar nemzetisegu.
Benedekfalva elso irasos emlitese 1475-bol valo, ekkor Benedfalwa neven szerepel. A tobbi helyseget mar joval korabban megemlitik az okiratok, Szamosszeplakot Sceplok neven 1246-ban, mig Boshazat Beushaza neven 1388-ban.
A kozseg ket telepuleset, Benedekfalvat es Szamosszeplakot sulyosan erintettek a 70-es evekbeli aradasok.
A kozsegre a mezogazdasag, elsosorban a foldmuveles jellemzo. Megmuvelheto teruletenek tobb mint 60%-at teszik ki a jo minosegu szantofoldek, igy a megye fontos termeloi koze sorolhato. A Szamosban felhalmozodott nagy mennyisegu homok es kavics kitermelese jelentos jovedelemforraskent szolgal a kozseg szamara.
A videk egyetlen termeszeti csodaja az a kb. 2 km-en at tarto szoros, mely beszukiti a Szamos folyasat. A kozseg területen talalhato muemlekek azonban potoljak a termeszeti adottsagok hianyat. Emlitesre melto Szuz Maria koszobra, mely feltehetoleg Ignat Ciocioian szobraszmuvesz alkotasa (1822) es a benedekfalvi fatemplom.
A Szamos volgye nagyszeru horgaszhelynek bizonyul. Regebben a desi cellulozgyarból a folyoba engedett szennyezett viz sulyos karokat okozott, de ma mar ismet gazdag halallomanya van.
