Benin

Republic of BeninRepublique du Benin

republic under multiparty democratic ruleIndependence 1 August 1960 (from France)

Benin as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 87 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalPorto-Novo
Position9 30 N, 2 15 E
Area112,620 sq km
LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
1996

Every edition of Benin

Populationas each edition published it
5.71 million July 1996 est. · 4.67m in 1990
Population growth% a year
3.32% 1996 est. · 3.33% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 16.4 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
52.69 years 1996 est. · 51.31 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.64 children per woman 1996 est. · 7.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
105.1 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 121 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,380 1995 est. · $410 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
6% 1995 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, | between Nigeria and Togo

15 fields
Area
112,620sq km
land area: 110,620 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Coastline
121km
territorial sea: 200 nm
Land boundaries
1,989km
border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
Irrigated land
60sq km
(1989 est.)

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo

Climate

  • tropical;
  • hot, humid in south;
  • semiarid in north

Terrain

mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mount Tanekas 641 m

Natural resources

small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Land use

arable land:
12%
permanent crops:
4%
meadows and pastures:
4%
forest and woodland:
35%
other:
45%

Environment

current issues:
  • recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north;
  • inadequate supplies of potable water;
  • poaching threatens wildlife populations;
  • deforestation;
  • desertification
natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter
international agreements:
  • party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection;
  • signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geographic note

no natural harbors

People

15 fields
Population
5,709,529
(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 3.32% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth
46.76Death
13.53Net migration
0

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years52.69
50.74 · 54.7
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy37%
48.7% · 25.8%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

Religions

indigenous beliefs 70%Muslim 15%Christian 15%

Age structure

0-14 years:
48% (male 1,376,531; female 1,367,394)
15-64 years:
50% (male 1,349,386; female 1,480,251)
65 years and over:
2% (male 60,030; female 75,937) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.79 male(s)/female
all ages:
0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

105.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.64 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Beninese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Beninese

Ethnic divisions

African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500

Languages

French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Government

Republic under multiparty democratic rule

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

52.49%
Mathieu KEREKOU 52.49%Nicephore SOGLO 47.51%

Legislature, 83 seatsone dot, one seat

Renaissance Party and allies 20PRD 19FARD-ALAFIA 10PSD 7NCC 3RDL-VIVOTEN 3Communist Party 2Alliance Chameleon 1RDP 1ADP 1other 16

Name of country

conventional long form:
Republic of Benin
conventional short form:
Benin
local long form:
Republique du Benin
local short form:
Benin
former:
Dahomey

Type of government

  • 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

Administrative divisions

6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Mono, Oueme, Zou

Independence

1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday

National Day, 1 August (1990)

Constitution

2 December 1990

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government:
  • President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996) was elected for a five-year term by popular vote;
  • election last held 18 March 1996 (next to be held March 2001);
  • results - Mathieu KEREKOU 52.49%, Nicephore SOGLO 47.51%
cabinet:
Executive Council, appointed by the president

National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

  • elections last held 28 March 1995 (next to be held NA);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (83 total) Renaissance Party and allies 20, PRD 19, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 7, NCC 3, RDL-VIVOTEN 3, Communist Party 2, Alliance Chameleon 1, RDP 1, ADP 1, other 16

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders

as of February 1996, more than 80 political parties were officially recognized; the following are

represented in the National Assembly:
  • Alliance of the National Party for Democracy and Development (PNDD) and the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), Pascal Chabi KAO;
  • Action for Renewal and Development (FARD-ALAFIA), Mathieu KEREKOU;
  • Alliance of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress (UNSP), Bruno AMOUSSOU;
  • Alliance Chameleon;
  • Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP), Adekpedjon AKINDES;
  • Alliance for Social Democracy (ASD), Robert DOSSOU;
  • Assembly of Liberal Democrats for National Reconstruction (RDL), Severin ADJOVI;
  • Communist Party of Benin, Pascal FATONDJI, First Secretary;
  • Our Common Cause (NCC), Albert TEVOEDJRE;
  • Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP);
  • The Renaissance Party, Nicephore SOGLO

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Lucien Edgar TONOUKOUIN
chancery:
2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 232-6656, 6657, 6658

FAX

[1] (202) 265-1996

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:
Ambassador John M. YATES
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

two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side

Economy

The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and | dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and | regional trade.

21 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,380
(1995 est.)
Real growth rate
6%
(1995 est.)industrial production growth: NA%
Labor force
1.9million
(1987)by occupation: agriculture 60%, transport, commerce, and public services 38%, industry less than 2%

GDP composition by sector(1993)

agriculture 36.8%industry 12.6%services 50.6% (1993)

Budget(1993 est.)

Revenues
$272 millionExpenditures
$375 million
expenditures including capital expenditures of $84 million

Installed generating capacity, 30,000 kW

Electricity production
10 millionElectricity consumption per capita
25 (1993)

Economic overview

The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output, which had averaged a sound 4% in 1990-94, rose to 6% in 1995. Rapid population growth, now 3.3% per year, offset much of this growth in output.

Inflation jumped to 55% in 1994 (compared to 3% in 1993) following the 50% currency devaluation in January 1994, but subsided gradually in 1995. Commercial and transport activities, which make up 37% of GDP, are extremely vulnerable to developments in Nigeria as evidenced by decreased reexport trade in 1994 due to a severe contraction in Nigerian demand.

Support by the Paris Club and official bilateral creditors has 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 World Bank supported structural adjustment program since 1991.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7.6 billion (1995 est.)

Industries

  • textiles, cigarettes;
  • beverages, food;
  • construction materials, petroleum

Agriculture

corn, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, livestock

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US

Exports

$310 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:
cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa
partners:
France, Morocco 37%, Portugal 14%, Spain, Italy, UK, US, Libya

Imports

$439 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.)

commodities:
foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods
partners:
France 24%, Thailand 12%, Netherlands 7%, US 5%, China, Hong Kong

External debt

$1.5 billion (1993 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991) note: beginning 12 January 1994 the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 5 in all

2
2 438 to 3 047 m
1 524 to 2 437 m
1
914 to 1 523 m
2
PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways
6,070Railways
578 (1995 est.)
Highways: paved: 1,214 km · unpaved: 4,856 km (1992 est.) · Railways: (single track) · narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge

Railways

total:
578 km (single track) (1995 est.)
narrow gauge:
578 km 1.000-m gauge

Highways

total:
6,070 km
paved:
1,214 km
unpaved:
4,856 km (1992 est.)

Waterways

navigable along small sections, important only locally

Ports

Cotonou, Porto-Novo

Communications

Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), National | Gendarmerie

9 fields
Fixed lines
16,200
(1986 est.)

Telephone system

domestic:
fair system of open wire and microwave radio relay
international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0

Televisions

20,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Branches

Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie

Manpower availability

males age 15-49:
1,212,440
females age 15-49:
1,290,773
males fit for military service:
620,923
females fit for military service:
653,094
males reach military age (18) annually:
62,526
females reach military age (18) annually:
60,968 (1996 est.)

note: both sexes are liable for military service

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $33 million, 3.2% of GDP (1994)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Benin.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/benin/1996.

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