| Background: |
Dahomey gained
its independence from France in 1960; the name was changed
to Benin in 1975. From 1974 to 1989 the country was a
socialist state; free elections were reestablished in 1991. |
| Location: |
Western Africa,
bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
9 30 N, 2 15 E |
| Area: |
total:
112,620 sq km
land: 110,620 sq km
water: 2,000 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller
than Pennsylvania |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
1,989 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger
266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
territorial
sea: 200 NM |
| Climate: |
tropical; hot,
humid in south; semiarid in north |
| Terrain: |
mostly flat to
undulating plain; some hills and low mountains |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m |
| Natural
resources: |
small offshore
oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
13%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 31%
other: 48% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
100 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
hot, dry, dusty
harmattan wind may affect north in winter |
| Environment
- current issues: |
inadequate
supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife
populations; deforestation; desertification |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
| Geography
- note: |
no natural
harbors |
| Population: |
6,590,782
note: estimates for this country explicitly
take into account the effects of excess mortality due to
AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher
infant mortality and death rates, lower population and
growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population
by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001
est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
47.32% (male 1,574,124; female 1,544,741)
15-64 years: 50.38% (male 1,607,900; female
1,712,360)
65 years and over: 2.3% (male 64,756; female
86,901) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.97% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
44.23
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
14.51
deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
89.68
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 49.94 years
male: 49.02 years
female: 50.88 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
6.23 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
2.45% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
70,000 (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
5,600 (1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Beninese (singular and plural)
adjective: Beninese |
| Ethnic
groups: |
African 99% (42
ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba,
Bariba), Europeans 5,500 |
| Religions: |
indigenous
beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% |
| Languages: |
French
(official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in
south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.5%
male: 52.2%
female: 23.6% (2000) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Republic of Benin
conventional short form: Benin
local long form: Republique du Benin
local short form: Benin
former: Dahomey |
| Government
type: |
republic under
multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism
December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990;
transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991 |
| Capital: |
Porto-Novo is the
official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government |
| Administrative
divisions: |
6 provinces;
Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Mono, Oueme, Zou; note - six
additional provinces have been reported but not confirmed;
they are Alibori, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, and
Plateau; moreover, the term "province" may have
been changed to "department" |
| Independence: |
1 August 1960
(from France) |
| National
holiday: |
National Day, 1
August (1960) |
| Constitution: |
December 1990 |
| Legal
system: |
based on French
civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April
1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU
(since 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president
elections: president reelected by popular vote
for a five-year term; runoff election held 22 March 2001
(next to be held NA March 2006)
election results: Mathieu KEREKOU reelected
president; percent of vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno
AMOUSSOU 15.9%
note: the four top-ranking contenders following
the first round presidential elections were: Mathieu KEREKOU
(incumbent) 45.4%, Nicephore SOGOLO (former president)
27.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%,
and Bruno AMOUSSOU (Minister of State) 8.6%; the second
round balloting, originally scheduled for 18 March, was
postponed four days because both SOGOLO and HOUNGBEDJI
withdrew alleging electoral fraud; this left KEREKOU to run
against his own Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what was
termed a "friendly match" |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members
are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 March 1999 (next to be
held NA March 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - RB 27, PRD 11, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 9,
MADEP 6, E'toile 4, Alliance IPD 4, Car-DUNYA 3, MERCI 2,
other 7 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Constitutional
Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour
Supreme; High Court of Justice |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
African Movement
for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN];
Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Sylvain
Adekpedjou AKINDES]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party
or PSD and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress or
UNSP [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Cameleon Alliance or AC [leader NA];
Car-DUNYA [Saka SALEY]; Communist Party of Benin or PCB
[Pascal FANTONDJI, first secretary]; Democratic Renewal
Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front for Renewal and
Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Jerome Sakia KINA]; Impulse for
Progress and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Liberal
Democrats' Rally for National Reconstruction-Vivoten or
RDL-Vivoten [Severin ADJOVI]; Movement for Citizens'
Commitment and Awakening or MERCI [Severin ADJOVI]; New
Generation for the Republic or NGR [Paul DOSSOU]; Our Common
Cause or NCC [Francois Odjo TANKPINON]; Party Democratique
du Benin or PDB [Col. Soule DANKORO]; Rally for Democracy
and Pan-Africanism or RDP [Dominique HOYMINOU, Dr. Giles
Auguste MINONTIN]; Renaissance Party du Benin or RB [Nicephore
SOGLO]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA];
Union for National Democracy and Solidarity or UDS [Adamou
N'Diaye MAMA]
note: the Coalition of Democratic Forces is an
alliance of parties and organizations supporting President
KEREKOU [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
ACCT, ACP, AfDB,
CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIPONUH,
MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNTAET, UPU, WADB, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Lucien Edgar TONOUKOUIN
chancery: 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Pamela E. BRIDGEWATER
embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou
mailing address: B. P. 2012, Cotonou
telephone: [229] 30-06-50, 30-05-13, 30-17-92
FAX: [229] 30-14-39, 30-19-74 |
| Flag
description: |
two equal
horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical
green band on the hoist side |
| Economy
- overview: |
The economy of
Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence
agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth
in real output averaged a sound 5% in 1996-99, but a rapid
population rise offset much of this growth. Inflation has
subsided over the past several years. Commercial and
transport activities, which make up a large part of GDP, are
vulnerable to developments in Nigeria, particularly fuel
shortages. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased
the external debt situation in recent years. While high fuel
prices constrained growth in 2000, increased cotton
production - enabled by a major restructuring program - and
an expansion of the Cotonou port, may lead to increased
growth in 2001. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $6.6 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
5% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $1,030 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
37.9%
industry: 13.5%
services: 48.6% (1999) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
37.2% (1999 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
3% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$299 million
expenditures: $445 million, including capital
expenditures of $14 million (1995 est.) |
| Industries: |
textiles,
cigarettes; beverages, food; construction materials,
petroleum |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
6.9% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
226 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
24.78%
hydro: 75.22%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
510.2 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
300 million kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
corn, sorghum,
cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil,
peanuts; poultry, livestock |
| Exports: |
$396 million
(f.o.b., 1999) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
cotton, crude
oil, palm products, cocoa |
| Exports
- partners: |
Brazil 14%, Libya
5%, Indonesia 4%, Italy 4% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$566 million
(c.i.f., 1999) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
foodstuffs,
tobacco, petroleum products, capital goods |
| Imports
- partners: |
France 38%, China
16%, UK 9%, Cote d'Ivoire 5% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$1.6 billion
(1998 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$274.6 million
(1997) |
| Currency: |
Communaute
Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States |
| Exchange
rates: |
Communaute
Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 699.21
(January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998),
583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999,
the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per
euro |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
36,000 (1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
4,295 (1997) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: NA
domestic: fair system of open wire, microwave
radio relay, and cellular connections
international: satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 2, FM 9,
shortwave 4 (1998) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
2 (one
privately-owned) (1997) |
| Televisions: |
60,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.bj |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
10,000 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
578 km (single track)
narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2000) |
| Highways: |
total:
6,787 km
paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 5,430 km (1997 est.) |
| Waterways: |
streams navigable
along small sections, important only locally |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Cotonou,
Porto-Novo |
| Merchant
marine: |
none (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Armed Forces
(includes Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 1,455,433
females age 15-49: 1,489,947
note: both sexes are liable for military
service (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 743,980
females age 15-49: 755,149 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
70,088
females: 73,618 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$27 million
(FY96) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.2% (FY96) |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
| Illicit
drugs: |
transshipment
point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking
organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe
and the US |
|
