Map of Benin | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


Background: Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey a prominent West African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960 as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001 though some irregularities were alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni a political outsider and independent. YAYI who won a second five-year term in March 2011 has attempted to stem corruption and has strongly promoted accelerating Benin's economic growth.


top of page


Location: Western Africa bordering the Bight of Benin between Nigeria and Togo

Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N 2 15 E

Map reference

Area
Rank: 102
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: 120 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 25.8 km³ (2001)

Natural hazards: hot dry dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March

Geography
Note: sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors river mouths or islands


top of page


Population: 9,598,787 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 90
Growth rate: 2.877% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 14
Below poverty line: 37.4% (2007 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups: Fon and related 39.2% Adja and related 15.2% Yoruba and related 12.3% Bariba and related 9.2% Peulh and related 7% Ottamari and related 6.1% Yoa-Lokpa and related 4% Dendi and related 2.5% other 1.6% (includes Europeans) unspecified 2.9% (2002 census)

Languages: French (official) Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south) tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Religions: Catholic 27.1% Muslim 24.4% Vodoun 17.3% Protestant 10.4% (Celestial 5% Methodist 3.2% other Protestant 2.2%) other Christian 5.3% other 15.5% (2002 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.877% (2012 est.)
Rank: 14

Birth rate: 37.55 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 18

Death rate: 8.79 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 74

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 78

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: 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
Rank: 28

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 189

Total fertility rate: 5.22 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 17

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.059 physicians/1000 population (2008)

Hospital bed density: 0.5 beds/1000 population (2005)

Sanitation facility access:
Unimproved:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.2% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 41
People living with hivaids: 60,000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 55
Deaths: 2,700 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 48

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 20.2% (2006)
Rank: 37

Education expenditures: 3.5% of GDP (2007)
Rank: 116

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name

Government type: republic

Capital

Administrative divisions: 12 departments; Alibori Atakora Atlantique Borgou Collines Kouffo Donga Littoral Mono Oueme Plateau Zou

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: National Day 1 August (1960)

Constitution: adopted by referendum 2 December 1990

Legal system: civil law system modeled largely on the French system and some customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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 (7 members; 4 appointed by the National Assembly 3 appointed by the President; appointed for a 5-year term for one term); Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (President of the Supreme Court appointed by the President for a 5-year term); High Court of Justice (composed of members of the Constitutional Court and 6 members appointed by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: 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 SÈHOUÉTO]; Movement for the People's Alternative or MAP [Olivier CAPO-CHICHI]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or PRD [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]; Union Makes the Nation or UN

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU CD ECOWAS Entente FAO FZ G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO (correspondent) ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA MONUSCO NAM OAS (observer) OIC OIF OPCW PCA UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNISFA UNMIL UNMISS UNOCI UNWTO UPU WAEMU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: 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

National symbols: leopard

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture cotton production and regional trade. Growth in real output had averaged almost 4% before the global recession and it has returned to roughly that level in 2011-12. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to raise growth Benin plans to attract more foreign investment place more emphasis on tourism facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products and encourage new information and communication technology. Specific projects to improve the business climate by reforms to the land tenure system the commercial justice system and the financial sector were included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006. The 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications water electricity and agriculture. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation with Benin benefiting from a G-8 debt reduction announced in July 2005 while pressing for more rapid structural reforms. An insufficient electrical supply continues to adversely affect Benin's economic growth though the government recently has taken steps to increase domestic power production. Private foreign direct investment is small and foreign aid accounts for the majority of investment in infrastructure projects. Cotton a key export suffered from flooding in 2010-11 but high prices supported export earnings. The government agreed to a 25% increase in civil servant salaries in 2011 following a series of strikes increasing pressure on the national budget. Benin has appealed for international assistance to mitigate piracy against commercial shipping in its territory.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 139

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 101

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 198

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: cotton corn cassava (manioc) yams beans palm oil peanuts cashews; livestock

Industries

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2010 est.)
Rank: 101

Labor force: 3.662 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 95

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 37.4% (2007 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index: 36.5 (2003)
Rank: 81

Budget
Surplus or deficit: -3.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 119

Taxes and other revenues: 18.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 169

Public debt: 31.3% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 112

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.7% (2011 est.)
Rank: 170

Central bank discount rate: 4.25% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 81

Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA%

Stock of narrow money: $1.715 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 129

Stock of broad money: $2.716 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 145

Stock of domestic credit: $1.475 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 142

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance: -$699.9 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 101

Exports: $1.593 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 149
Commodities: cotton cashews shea butter textiles palm products seafood
Partners: India 32.4% China 20% Indonesia 6.8% Niger 4.8% Singapore 4.4% Nigeria 4.2% (2011)

Imports: $2.188 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 159
Commodities: foodstuffs capital goods petroleum products
Partners: China 31.1% France 12.2% UK 7.6% US 6.7% India 6.5% Netherlands 4.6% Belgium 4.3% (2011)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $887.4 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 138

Debt external: $913.8 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 158

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


top of page


Electricity
Production: 120 million kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 193
Consumption: 778 million kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 156
Exports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 168
Imports: 866 million kWh (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 63
Installed generating capacity: 60,000 kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 177
Generation sources fossil fuels: 98.3% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 61
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 54
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 140
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 113

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 113
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 87
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 162
Crude oil proven reserves: 8 million bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 96

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 127
Products consumption: 29,170 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 118
Products exports: 11,410 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products exports rank: 85
Products imports: 35,140 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 80

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 105
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 122
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 163
Imports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 165
Proven reserves: 1.133 billion m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 99

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 3.65 million Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 133

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 152,700 (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 133
Mobile cellular: 7.765 million (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 91

Telephone system

Broadcast media: 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)

Internet
Country code: .bj
Hosts: 491 (2012)
Hosts rank: 183
Users: 200,100 (2009)
Users rank: 139

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures: 1% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 130

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 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 (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 5 (2012)
Rank: 183

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Rank: 113

Roadways
Rank: 119

Waterways: 150 km (seasonal navigation on River Niger along northern border) (2011)
Rank: 102

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals: Cotonou


top of page


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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point used by traffickers for cocaine destined for Western Europe; vulnerable to money laundering due to po