Benin

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.

• 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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

0-14 years:

47% (male 1,531,636; female 1,503,552)

15-64 years:

50% (male 1,551,867; female 1,660,845)

65 years and over:

3% (male 63,717; female 84,302) (2000 est.)

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.76 male(s)/female

total population:

0.97 male(s)/female (2000 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

• 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]

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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Robert C. FELDER

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

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

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

domestic:

fair system of open wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections

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:

6,787 km

paved:

1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways)

unpaved:

5,430 km (1997 est.)

males age 15-49:

1,402,566

females age 15-49:

1,445,082

note: both sexes are liable for military service (2000 est.)

males age 15-49:

717,289

females age 15-49:

732,196 (2000 est.)

males:

69,065

females:

67,961 (2000 est.)