Map of Benin | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: 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.


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

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total area total: 112,620 km²
Land: 110,620 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: total 1,989 km, Burkina 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km

Coastline: 121 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea:200 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Elevation

Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Land use
Arable land: 12%
Permanent crops: 4%
Meadows and pastures: 4%
Forest and woodland: 35%
Other: 45%

Irrigated land: 60 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: no natural harbors


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Population: 5,522,677 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 3.33% (1995 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)

Religions: indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 48% (female 1,324,553; male 1,333,673)
15-64 years: 49% (female 1,431,630; male 1,299,180)
65 years and over: 3% (female 74,119; male 59,522) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.33% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 47.25 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 13.93 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
Current issues natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter
Current issues international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 107.6 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 52.24 years
Male: 50.34 years
Female: 54.2 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.72 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Total population: 23%
Male: 32%
Female: 16%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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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

Administrative divisions: 6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Mono, Oueme, Zou

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: National Day, 1 August (1990)

Constitution: 2 December 1990

Legal system: based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state and head of government: President Nicephore SOGLO (since 4 April 1991); election last held 10 and 24 March 1991 (next election 1996); results - Nicephore SOGLO 68%, Mathieu KEREKOU 32%
Cabinet: Executive Council; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly Assemblee Nationale: elections last held 28 March 1995; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (83 total) Renaissance Party and allies 20, PRD 19, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 7, NCC 3, RDL-VIVOTEN 3, Communist Party 2, Alliance Chameleon 1, RDP 1, ADP 1, other 16

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Lucien Edgar TONOUKOUIN
In the us chancery: 2,737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 232-6,656, 6,657, 6,658
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ruth A. DAVIS
From the us embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou
From the us mailing address: B. P. 2012, Cotonou
From the us telephone: [229] 30-06-50, 30-05-13, 30-17-92
From the us FAX: [229] 41-15-22

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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 1991-94 but this rate barely exceeds the rapid population growth of 3.3%. Inflation jumped to 35% in 1994 (compared to 3% in 1993) following the 50% currency devaluation in January. Commercial and transport activities, which make up almost 36% of GDP, are extremely vulnerable to developments in Nigeria as evidenced by decreased reexport trade in 1994 due to a severe contraction in Nigerian demand. The industrial sector accounts for less than 10% of GDP and mainly produces foods, beverages, cement, and textiles. 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, is gradually implementing a World Bank supported structural adjustment program.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $1,260 (1994 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 35% of GDP; small farms produce 90% of agricultural output; production is dominated by food crops - corn, sorghum, cassava, yams, beans, rice; cash crops include cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry and livestock output has not kept up with consumption

Industries: textiles, cigarettes, construction materials, beverages, food, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate: -0.7% (1988; accounts for 10% of GDP

Labor force: 1.9 million (1987)
By occupation agriculture: 60%
By occupation transport commerce andpublicservices: 38%
By occupation industrylessthan: 2%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $272 million (1993 est.)
Expenditures: $375 million, including capital expenditures of $84 million (1993 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $332 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodoties: cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa
Partners: FRG 36%, France 16%, Spain 14%, Italy 8%, UK 4%

Imports: $571 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodoties: foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods
Partners: France 20%, Thailand 8%, Netherlands 7%, US 5%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $1 billion (December 1990 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 529.43 (January 1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990)
Note: beginning 12 January 1994 the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948


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Electricity
Capacity: 30,000 kW
Production: 10 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 25 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: NA telephones; fair system of open wire and microwave radio relay
Local: NA
Intercity: microwave radio relay and open wire
International: 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station, submarine cable

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $33 million, 3.2% of GDP (1994)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 7
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2438 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: navigable along small sections, important only locally

Merchant marine: none

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US