Benin

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

arable land:

13%

permanent crops:

4%

permanent pastures:

4%

forests and woodland:

31%

other:

48% (1993 est.)

• recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north;
• inadequate supplies of potable water;
• poaching threatens wildlife populations;
• deforestation;
• desertification

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:

Law of the Sea

0-14 years:

48% (male 1,420,335; female 1,411,160)

15-64 years:

50% (male 1,401,360; female 1,530,626) 65 years and over : 2% (male 60,704; female 77,993) (July 1997 est.)

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.78 male(s)/female

total population:

0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

noun:

Beninese (singular and plural)

adjective:

Beninese

conventional long form:

Republic of Benin

conventional short form:

Benin

local long form:

Republique du Benin

local short form :

Benin

former:

Dahomey

• republic under multiparty democratic rule;
• dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989;
• democratic reforms adopted February 1990;
• transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991

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;
• Prime Minister Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (since 9 April 1996) acts as assistant to the president;
• a prime minister is not provided for in the constitution but was appointed by President KEREKOU with the permission of the constitutional court

cabinet:

Council of Ministers headed by the prime minister; all are appointed by the president

elections:

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 18 March 1996 (next to be held March 2001)

election results:

Mathieu KEREKOU elected president; percent of vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 52.49%, Nicephore SOGLO 47.51%

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

note: as of February 1996, more than 80 political parties were officially recognized

chief of mission:

Ambassador Lucien Edgar TONOUKOUIN

chancery :

2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 232-6656, 6657, 6658

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

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

total value :

$300 million (f.o.b., 1995)

commodities:

cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa

partners:

Brazil 18%, Portugal 14%, Morocco, Libya, France

total value:

$380 million (c.i.f., 1995)

commodities :

foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods

partners:

France 27%, Thailand 9%, China, Hong Kong

domestic:

fair system of open wire and microwave radio relay

international :

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable

total:

578 km (single track)

narrow gauge:

578 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)

total:

8,460 km

paved:

2,656 km

unpaved:

5,804 km (1995 est.)

males age 15-49 :

1,261,059

females age 15-49:

1,333,966 (1997 est.)

note: both sexes are liable for military service

males:

645,660 (1997 est.)

females:

675,243 (1997 est.)

males:

64,028

females:

63,056 (1997 est.)