Benin

Republic of BeninRepublique du Benin

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

Benin as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 104 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 is the official capital

Position9 30 N, 2 15 E

Area112,620 sq km

LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,

Populationas each edition published it

6.31 million July 1999 est. · 4.67m in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.3% 1999 est. · 3.33% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 16.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

54.08 years 1999 est. · 51.31 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.4 children per woman 1999 est. · 7.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

97.76 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 121 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,300 1998 est. · $410 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.4% 1998 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

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

18 fields

Area

112,620sq km

land: 110,620 sq kmwater: 2,000 sq kmslightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Coastline

121km

territorial sea: 200 nm

Highest point

658m

Mont Sokbarolowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Land boundaries

1,989km

border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km

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

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.)

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

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

People

15 fields

Population

6,305,567

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 3.3% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

45.37Death

12.4Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)54.08

51.98 · 56.24

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)37%

48.7% · 25.8%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions

indigenous beliefs 70%Muslim 15%Christian 15%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 48% (male 1,510,703; female 1,501,437)
15-64 years:: 50% (male 1,511,114; female 1,637,155)
65 years and over:: 2% (male 62,459; female 82,699) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

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:: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

97.76 deaths/1,000 live births (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

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; President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

52.49%

-Mathieu KEREKOU 52.49%Nicephore SOGLO 47.51%election last held 18 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2001)

Legislature, 83 seats, elected 28 March 1995one dot, one seat

-PRB 20PRD 19FARD-ALAFIA 10PSD 7NCC 3RDL-VIVOTEN 3PCB 2AC 1RDP 1other 17

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

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 (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

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 elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 18 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2001)
election results:: Mathieu KEREKOU elected president; percent of vote--Mathieu KEREKOU 52.49%, Nicephore SOGLO 47.51%

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 28 March 1995 (next to be held 28 March 1999)
election results:: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PRB 20, PRD 19, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 7, NCC 3, RDL-VIVOTEN 3, PCB 2, AC 1, RDP 1, other 17

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle, Supreme Court or Cour Supreme, High Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Civic Renewal or ARC Sylvain AKINDES];
Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD and KINA];
Liberal Democrats' Rally for National Reconstruction-Vivoten

note: as of December 1998, more than 110 political parties were officially recognized; among them are Benin Renaissance Party or PRB, Our Common Cause or NCC,

Cameleon Alliance or AC, Rally for Democracy and Pan-Africanism or RDP

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, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MINURCA, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, 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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Robert C. FELDER
embassy:: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou
mailing address:: B. P. 2012, Cotonou

Flag description

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.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$1,300

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

4.4%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

5.6%

(1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

33%

(1995 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1997)

agriculture 34%industry 14%services 52% (1997)

Budget

Revenues

$299 millionExpenditures

$445 million (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $14 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

6 million (1996)Electricity consumption

251 million (1996)Electricity imports

245 million (1996)

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 1996-98. 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. 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 (1998 est.)

Labor force

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industries

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

Agriculture--products

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

Exports

$250 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities

cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa

Exports--partners

Brazil 18%, Portugal 11%, Morocco 10%, Libya 6%, France (1997)

Imports

$314 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities

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

Imports--partners

France 21%, UK 9%, Thailand 9%, Hong Kong 8%, China (1997)

Debt--external

$1.6 billion (1996 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--566.36 (January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

38,354

(6,286 cellular telephone subscribers) (1998 est.)

Telephone system

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 est.)

Radios

400,000 (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations

2 (one privately owned) (1997)

Televisions

30,000 (1998 est.)

Transportation

8 fields

Networkskm

Highways

6,787Railways

578

Highways: paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways) · unpaved: 5,430 km (1996 est.) · Railways: (single track) · narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)