Benin

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

• the population is primarily located in the south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast;
• most of the north remains sparsely populated with higher concentrations of residents in the west at shown in this population distribution map

• inadequate supplies of potable water;
• water pollution;
• poaching threatens wildlife populations;
• deforestation;
• desertification (the spread of the desert into agricultural lands in the north is accelerated by regular droughts)

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

noun:

Beninese (singular and plural)

adjective:

Beninese

• the population is primarily located in the south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast;
• most of the north remains sparsely populated with higher concentrations of residents in the west at shown in this population distribution map

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years:

0.99 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

0.9 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.84 male(s)/female

total population:

0.97 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

degree of risk:

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases:

dengue fever and malaria

animal contact diseases:

rabies

respiratory diseases:

meningococcal meningitis

conventional long form:

Republic of Benin

conventional short form:

Benin

local long form:

Republique du Benin

local short form:

Benin

former:

Dahomey, People's Republic of Benin

etymology:

named for the Bight of Benin, the body of water on which the country lies

name:

Porto-Novo (constitutional capital); Cotonou (seat of government)

geographic coordinates:

6 29 N, 2 37 E

time difference:

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

etymology:

the name Porto-Novo is Portuguese for "new port"; Cotonou means "by the river of death" in the native Fon language

history:

previous 1946, 1958 (preindependence); latest adopted by referendum 2 December 1990, promulgated 11 December 1990

amendments:

• proposed concurrently by the president of the republic (after a decision in the Council of Ministers) and the National Assembly;
• consideration of drafts or proposals requires at least three-fourths majority vote of the Assembly membership;
• passage requires approval in a referendum unless approved by at least four-fifths majority vote of the Assembly membership;
• constitutional articles affecting territorial sovereignty, the republican form of government, and secularity of Benin cannot be amended

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a citizen of Benin

dual citizenship recognized:

yes

residency requirement for naturalization:

10 years

chief of state:

President Patrice TALON (since 6 April 2016); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government:

President Patrice TALON (since 6 April 2016); prime minister position abolished

cabinet:

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections/appointments:

• president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term);
• last held on 6 March and 20 March 2016 (next to be held in 2021)

election results:

• Patrice TALON elected president in second round;
• percent of vote in first round - Lionel ZINSOU (FCBE) 28.4%, Patrice TALON (independent) 24.8%, Sebastien AJAVON (independent) 23.%, Abdoulaye Bio TCHANE (ABT) 8.8%, Pascal KOUPAKI (NC) 5.9%, other 9.1%;
• percent of vote in second round - Patrice TALON 65.4%, Lionel ZINSOU 34.6%

description:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

elections:

last held on 28 April 2019 (next to be held in April 2023)

election results:

• percent of vote by party - Union Progressiste 56.2%, Bloc Republicain 43.8%;
• seats by party - Union Progressiste 47, Bloc Republicain 36;
• composition - men 77, women 6, percent of women 7.2%

highest courts:

• Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of the chief justice and 16 justices organized into an administrative division, judicial chamber, and chamber of accounts);
• Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle (consists of 7 members, including the court president);
• High Court of Justice (consists of the Constitutional Court members, 6 members appointed by the National Assembly, and the Supreme Court president);
• note - jurisdiction of the High Court of Justice is limited to cases of high treason by the national president or members of the government while in office

judge selection and term of office:

• Supreme Court president and judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the advice of the National Assembly;
• judges appointed for single renewable 5-year terms;
• Constitutional Court members - 4 appointed by the National Assembly and 3 by the president of the republic;
• members appointed for single renewable 5-year terms;
• other members of the High Court of Justice elected by the National Assembly;
• member tenure NA

subordinate courts:

• Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel;
• district courts;
• village courts;
• Assize courts

• Alliance for a Triumphant Benin or ABT [Abdoulaye BIO TCHANE]
• African Movement for Development and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]
• Benin Renaissance or RB [Lehady SOGLO]
• Cowrie Force for an Emerging Benin or FCBE [Yayi BONI]
• Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]
• National Alliance for Development and Democracy or AND [Valentin Aditi HOUDE]
• New Consciousness Rally or NC [Pascal KOUPAKI]
• Patriotic Awakening or RP [Janvier YAHOUEDEOU]
• Social Democrat Party or PSD [Emmanuel GOLOU]
• Sun Alliance or AS [Sacca LAFIA]
• Union Makes the Nation or UN [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI] (includes PRD, MADEP)
• United Democratic Forces or FDU [Mathurin NAGO]

note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

chief of mission:

Ambassador Jean Claude Felix DO REGO (since 17 July 2020)

chancery:

2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 232-6656

FAX:

[1] (202) 265-1996

chief of mission:

Ambassador Patricia MAHONEY (since 18 January 2019)

telephone:

[229] 21-30-06-50

embassy:

Marina Avenue, 01 BP 2012, Cotonou

mailing address:

01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou

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

Fitch rating:

B (2019)

Moody's rating:

B2 (2019)

Standard & Poors rating: B+ (2018)

lowest 10%:

3.1%

highest 10%:

29% (2003)

• state-run Office de Radiodiffusion et de Television du Benin (ORTB) operates a TV station providing 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 (2019)

number of registered air carriers:

1 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1 (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:

112,392 (2015)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:

805,347 mt-km (2015)

total:

438 km (2014)

narrow gauge:

438 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)

total:

16,000 km (2006)

paved:

1,400 km (2006)

unpaved:

14,600 km (2006)

total:

6

by type:

other 6 (2019)

major seaport(s):

Cotonou

LNG terminal(s) (import):

Cotonou

• the FAB is equipped with a mix of foreign-supplied weapons;
• historically, France and Russia (including the former Soviet Union) have been the chief suppliers of military hardware (2019 est.)

• 18-35 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service;
• a higher education diploma is required;
• both sexes are eligible for military service;
• conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2013)

• West African piracy more than doubled in 2018 to become the most dangerous area in the World;
• the waters off of Benin saw a dramatic increase in 2018 with five attacks reported compared with none in 2017;
• three ships were boarded, two were hijacked, and 48 crew taken hostage or kidnapped

• Benin participates in the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram along with Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria;
• the Benin military contingent is in charge of MNJTF garrison duties (2020)

• talks continue between Benin and Togo on funding the Adjrala hydroelectric dam on the Mona River;
• Benin retains a border dispute with Burkina Faso near the town of Koualou;
• location of Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint is unresolved