Benin

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

total:

0.13 cu km/yr (32%/23%/45%)

per capita:

15 cu m/yr (2001)

• inadequate supplies of potable water;
• poaching threatens wildlife populations;
• deforestation;
• desertification

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.69 male(s)/female

total population:

1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

degree of risk:

very high

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases:

malaria and yellow fever

respiratory disease:

meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease:

rabies (2009)

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

name:

Porto-Novo (official capital)

geographic coordinates:

6 29 N, 2 37 E

time difference:

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: Cotonou (seat of government)

• Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle;
• Supreme Court or Cour Supreme;
• High Court of Justice

• African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN];
• Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD;
• Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP;
• Benin Renaissance or RB [Rosine SOGLO];
• Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI];
• Force Cowrie for an Emerging Benin or FCBE;
• Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD [Theophile NATA];
• Key Force or FC [Lazare SÉHOUTÓ];
• Movement for the People's Alternative or MAP [Olivier CAPO-CHICHI];
• Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Dominique HOUNGNINOU];
• Social Democrat Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU];
• Union for Democracy and National Solidarity or UDS [Sacca LAFIA];
• Union for the Relief or UPR [Issa SALIFOU]

note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

other:

• economic groups;
• environmentalists;
• political groups;
• teachers' unions and other educational groups

chief of mission:

Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN

chancery:

2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 232-6656

FAX:

[1] (202) 265-1996

chief of mission:

Ambassador James A. KNIGHT

embassy:

Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou

mailing address:

01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou

telephone:

[229] 21-30-06-50

FAX:

[229] 21-30-03-84

• two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side;
• green symbolizes hope and revival, yellow wealth, and red courage

note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

name:

"L'Aube Nouvelle" (The Dawn of a New Day)

lyrics/music:

Gilbert Jean DAGNON

note: adopted 1960

lowest 10%:

3.1%

highest 10%:

29% (2003)

general assessment:

inadequate system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections; fixed-line network characterized by aging, deteriorating equipment

domestic:

• fixed-line teledensity only about 2 per 100 persons;
• spurred by the presence of multiple mobile-cellular providers, cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly

international:

• country code - 229;
• landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia;
• long distance fiber-optic links with Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria;
• satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

• state-run Office de Radiodiffusion et de Television du Benin (ORTB) operates a TV station with multiple channels giving it a wide broadcast reach;
• several privately-owned TV stations broadcast from Cotonou;
• satellite TV subscription service is available;
• state-owned radio, under ORTB control, includes a national station supplemented by a number of regional stations;
• substantial number of privately-owned radio broadcast stations;
• transmissions of a few international broadcasters are available on FM in Cotonou (2007)

total:

578 km

country comparison to the world: 112

narrow gauge:

578 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

total:

16,000 km

country comparison to the world: 120

paved:

1,400 km

unpaved:

14,600 km (2006)

• 21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
• in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18;
• both sexes are eligible for military service;
• conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2006)

males age 16-49:

2,023,449

females age 16-49:

1,971,788 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49:

1,331,242

females age 16-49:

1,345,145 (2010 est.)

male:

105,468

female:

101,603 (2010 est.)

• in September 2007, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened to attempt to resolve the dispute over two villages along the Benin-Burkina Faso border that remain from 2005 ICJ decision;
• much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated;
• in 2005, Nigeria ceded thirteen villages to Benin, but border relations remain strained by rival cross-border gang clashes;
• talks continue between Benin and Togo on funding the Adjrala hydroelectric dam on the Mona River

• transshipment point used by traffickers for cocaine destined for Western Europe;
• vulnerable to money laundering due to poorly enforced financial regulations (2008)