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Benin
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 Map references: Africa Area:
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania Land boundaries:
Coastline: 121 km Maritime claims:
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber Land use:
Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter Environment - current issues: recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note: no natural harbors
Population:
6,395,919
Age structure:
Population growth rate: 3.03% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 44.81 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 14.51 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate: 90.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth:
Total fertility rate: 6.32 children born/woman (2000 est.) Nationality:
Ethnic groups: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500 Religions: indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15% Languages: French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) Literacy:
Country name:
Data code: BN 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
Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France) National holiday: National Day, 1 August (1990) 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:
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
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 [Adekpedjou Sylvain AKINDES]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress or UNSP [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Benin Renaissance Party or PRB [Nicephore SOGLO]; Cameleon Alliance or AC [leader NA]; Car-DUNYA [leader NA]; 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; 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 NG [leader NA]; Our Common Cause or NCC [Francois Odjo TANKPINON]; Rally for Democracy and Pan-Africanism or RDP [Dominique HOYMINOU, Dr. Giles Auguste MINONTIN]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [leader NA]; Union for National Democracy and Solidarity or UDS [Adamou N'Diaye MAMA] International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
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 has averaged a sound 4% in 1990-95 and 5% in 1996-99. Rapid population growth has offset much of this growth in output. Inflation has subsided over the past three 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. The government, still burdened with money-losing state enterprises and a bloated civil service, has been gradually implementing a structural adjustment program since 1991. GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.1 billion (1999 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 5% (1999 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,300 (1999 est.) GDP - composition by sector:
Population below poverty line: 33% (1995 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1999 est.) Labor force: NA Unemployment rate: NA% Budget:
Industries: textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction materials, petroleum Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - production: 6 million kWh (1998) Electricity - production by source:
Electricity - consumption: 276 million kWh (1998) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 270 million kWh (1998) 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 32%, Libya, Indonesia, Spain (1998) Imports: $566 million (f.o.b., 1999) Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, tobacco, petroleum products, capital goods Imports - partners: France 22%, China 16%, UK, Netherlands (1998) Debt - external: $1.6 billion (1997 est.) Economic aid - recipient: $281.2 million (1995) Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates:
CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 647.25 (January 2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use: 28,000 (1995) Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,050 (1995) Telephone system:
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998) Radios: 620,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (one privately-owned) (1997) Televisions: 60,000 (1997) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
Railways:
Highways:
Waterways: navigable along small sections, important only locally Ports and harbors: Cotonou, Porto-Novo Merchant marine: none (1999 est.) Airports: 5 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways:
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Military branches: Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age Military manpower - availability:
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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 Please click here for a guide to the country profiles Click here for all other countries
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