Map of Benin | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | 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: 9 30 N 2 15 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries

Coastline: 121 km

Maritime claims

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

Irrigated land: 100 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: hot dry dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter

Geography
Note: no natural harbors


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Population: 6,395,919
Growth rate: 3.03% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: 33% (1995 est.)

Nationality

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

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.03% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 44.81 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 14.51 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 90.84 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 6.32 children born/woman (2000 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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

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 is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government

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: 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

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle Supreme Court or Cour Supreme High Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders: 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]

International organization participation: ACCT ACP AfDB ECA ECOWAS Entente FAO FZ G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICFTU ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Intelsat Interpol IOC ISO (subscriber) ITU MIPONUH MONUC NAM OAU OIC OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WADB WADB (regional) WAEMU WCL WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO

Diplomatic representation

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 1990-95 and 5% in 1996-99. Rapid population growth has offset much of this growth in output. Inflation has subsided over the past three years. Commercial and transport activities which make up a large part of GDP are vulnerable to developments in Nigeria particularly fuel shortages. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have 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 structural adjustment program since 1991.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 5% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

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 unemployment

Population below poverty line: 33% (1995 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3% (1999 est.)

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: $396 million (f.o.b. 1999)
Commodities: cotton crude oil palm products cocoa
Partners: Brazil 32% Libya Indonesia Spain (1998)

Imports: $566 million (f.o.b. 1999)
Commodities: foodstuffs tobacco petroleum products capital goods
Partners: France 22% China 16% UK Netherlands (1998)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $1.6 billion (1997 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 647.25 (January 2000) 615.70 (1999) 589.95 (1998) 583.67 (1997) 511.55 (1996) 499.15 (1995)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 6 million kWh (1998)

Electricity consumption: 276 million kWh (1998)

Electricity exports: 0 kWh (1998)

Electricity imports: 270 million kWh (1998)

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular: 1050 (1995)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $27 million (FY96)
Percent of gdp: 1.2% (FY96)

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: 5 (1999 est.)

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: navigable along small sections important only locally

Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)

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