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Guide
Introduction
| |
| 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 |
|
