Statistical information Benin 1997

Benin in the World
Benin - Introduction 1997
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo
Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15 E
Map reference:
AfricaAreaTotal: 112,620 km²
Land: 110,620 km²
Water: 2,000 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundariesTotal: 1,989 km
Border countries: (4) Burkina Faso 306 km;
, Niger 266 km;
, Nigeria 773 km;
, Togo 644 kmCoastline: 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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Tanekas 641 m
Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Land useArable land: 13%
Permanent crops: 4%
Permanent pastures: 4%
Forests and woodland: 31%
Other: 48% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 100 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter
GeographyNote: no natural harbors
top of pagePopulation: 5,902,178 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 3.31% (1997 est.)
NationalityNoun: 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 profileAge structure0-14 years: 48% (male 1,420,335; female 1,411,160)
15-64 years: 50% (male 1,401,360; female 1,530,626)
65 years and over: 2% (male 60,704; female 77,993) (July 1997 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 3.31% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 46.28 births/1000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 13.14 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt 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: 0.78 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 102.7 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 53.15 years
Male: 51.15 years
Female: 55.21 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.56 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 37%
Male: 48.7%
Female: 25.8% (1995 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional 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 areasIndependence: 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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief 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; Prime Minister Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (since 9 April 1996) acts as assistant to the president; a prime minister is not provided for in the constitution but was appointed by President KEREKOU with the permission of the constitutional court
Cabinet: Council of Ministers headed by the prime minister; all are 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 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 NA 1999)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RB 20, PRD 19, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 7, NCC 3, RDL-VIVOTEN 3, Communist Party 2, Alliance Chameleon 1, RDP 1, other 17
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle, Supreme Court or Cour Supreme, High Court of Justice
Political parties and leadersInternational 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, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationIn 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 John M. YATES
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] 30-14-39, 30-19-74
Flag description
: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output, which had averaged a sound 4% in 1990-95, rose to 5.5% in 1996. Rapid population growth offset much of this growth in output. Inflation jumped to 55% in 1994 (compared to 3% in 1993) following the 50% currency devaluation in January 1994, but has subsided gradually over the past two years, with 14.5% inflation in 1995 and a target of 4.5% inflation in 1996. Commercial and transport activities, which make up a large part 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. 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 5.5% (1996 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,440 (1996 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 36.8%
Industry: 12.6%
Services: 50.6% (1993)
Agriculture products: corn, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, livestock
Industries: textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction materials, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $272 million (1993 est.)
Expenditures: $375 million, including capital expenditures of $84 million (1993 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExportsTotal value: $300 million (f.o.b., 1995)
Commodities: cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa
Partners: Brazil 18%, Portugal 14%, Morocco, Libya, France
ImportsTotal value: $380 million (c.i.f., 1995)
Commodities: foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods
Partners: France 27%, Thailand 9%, China, Hong Kong
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $1.6 billion (1994 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 541.69 (January 1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992)
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
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 28,000 kW (1992)
Production: 10 million kWh (1994)
Consumption per capita: 45 kWh (1994 est.)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaBenin - Communication 1997
top of pageTelephones: 16,200 (1986 est.)
Telephone systemDomestic: fair system of open wire and microwave radio relay
International: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $33 million (1994)
Percent of gdp: 3.2% (1994)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsBenin - Transportation 1997
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 5 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2 (1996 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 3
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (1996 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysTotal: 578 km (single track)
Narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)
RoadwaysWaterways: navigable along small sections, important only locally
Merchant marine: none
Ports and terminalsBenin - Transnational issues 1997
top of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US