Statistical information Benin 2016

Benin in the World

Benin - Introduction 2016

Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey a West African kingdom that rose to prominence in about 1600 and over the next two and a half centuries became a regional power largely based on its slave trade. Coastal areas of Dahomey began to be controlled by the French in the second half of the 19th century; the entire kingdom was conquered by 1894. French Dahomey achieved independence in 1960; it changed its name to the Republic of Benin in 1975.
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.

Benin - Geography 2016

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

Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N 2 15 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 112,622 km²
Land: 110,622 km²
Water: 2000 km²
Rank: 102
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries
Total: 2,123 km
Border countries: (4) Burkina Faso 386 km; Niger 277 km; Nigeria 809 km; Togo 651 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
Mean elevation: 273 m
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits limestone marble timber

Land use

Land use
Agricultural land: 31.3%

arable land: 22.9%
permanent crops: 3.5%
permanent pasture: 4.9%

Forest: 40%
Other: 28.7%

Irrigated land: 230 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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

Benin - People 2016

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Population: 10,741,458
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy higher infant mortality higher death rates lower population growth rates and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
Rank: 86
Growth rate: 2.75% (2016 est.)
Growth rate rank: 13
Below poverty line: 37.4% (2007 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Beninese
Adjective: Beninese

Ethnic groups: Fon and related 38.4% Adja and related 15.1% Yoruba and related 12% Bariba and related 9.6% Fulani and related 8.6% Ottamari and related 6.1% Yoa-Lokpa and related 4.3% Dendi and related 2.9% other 0.9% foreigner 1.9% (2013 est.)

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

Religions: Muslim 27.7% Catholic 25.5% Protestant 13.5% (Celestial 6.7% Methodist 3.4% other Protestant 3.4%) Vodoun 11.6% other Christian 9.5% other traditional religions 2.6% other 2.6% none 5.8% (2013 est.)

Demographic profile:

Benin has a youthful age structure – almost 65% of the population is under the age of 25 – which is bolstered by high fertility and population growth rates. Benin’s total fertility has been falling over time but remains high declining from almost 7 children per women in 1990 to 4.8 in 2016. Benin’s low contraceptive use and high unmet need for contraception contribute to the sustained high fertility rate. Although the majority of Beninese women use skilled health care personnel for antenatal care and delivery the high rate of maternal mortality indicates the need for more access to high quality obstetric care.
Poverty unemployment increased living costs and dwindling resources increasingly drive the Beninese to migrate. An estimated 4.4 million more than 40% of Beninese live abroad. Virtually all Beninese emigrants move to West African countries particularly Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire. Of the less than 1% of Beninese emigrants who settle in Europe the vast majority live in France Benin’s former colonial ruler.
With about 40% of the population living below the poverty line many desperate parents resort to sending their children to work in wealthy households as domestic servants (a common practice known as vidomegon) mines quarries or agriculture domestically or in Nigeria and other neighboring countries often under brutal conditions. Unlike in other West African countries where rural people move to the coast farmers from Benin’s densely populated southern and northwestern regions move to the historically sparsely populated central region to pursue agriculture. Immigrants from West African countries came to Benin in increasing numbers between 1992 and 2002 because of its political stability and porous borders.

Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years: 43.04%
15-24 years: 20.32%
25-54 years: 30.24%
55-64 years: 3.56%
65 years and over: 2.84% (2016 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 82%
Youth dependency ratio: 76.7%
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.3%
Potential support ratio: 19%

Median age
Total: 18 years
Male: 17.7 years
Female: 18.4 years
Rank: 215

Population growth rate: 2.75% (2016 est.)
Rank: 13

Birth rate: 35.5 births/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 19

Death rate: 8 deaths/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 97

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 76

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 44% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 3.67% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: PORTO-NOVO (capital) 268,000 (2014); COTONOU (seat of government) 682,000; Abomey-Calavi 757,000 (2015)

Environment
Current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
International agreements 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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male/female
55-64 years: 0.76 male/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male/female
Total population: 1.01 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth: 20.3
Note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 54.2 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 57.3 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 51 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 25

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 61.9 years
Male: 60.5 years
Female: 63.3 years
Rank: 195

Total fertility rate: 4.86 children born/woman (2016 est.)
Rank: 16

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 12.9% (2011/12)

Drinking water source:

urban: 85.2% of population
rural: 72.1% of population
total: 77.9% of population
urban: 14.8% of population
rural: 27.9% of population
total: 22.1% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.06 physicians/1000 population (2008)

Hospital bed density: 0.5 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

urban: 35.6% of population
rural: 7.3% of population
total: 19.7% of population
urban: 64.4% of population
rural: 92.7% of population
total: 80.3% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.06% (2015 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 41
People living with hivaids: 69,100 (2015 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 47
Deaths: 2,800 (2015 est.)
Deaths rank: 53

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever malaria and yellow fever
Respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
Animal contact disease: rabies

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 8.1% (2014)
Rank: 151

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 18% (2014)
Rank: 30

Education expenditures: 4.4% of GDP (2014)
Rank: 64

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 38.4%
Male: 49.9%
Female: 27.3%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 12 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 11 years

Youth unemployment

Benin - Government 2016

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

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Porto-Novo ; note - Cotonou (seat of government)
Geographic coordinates: 6 29 N 2 37 E
Time difference: UTC+1

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: National Day 1 August (1960)

Constitution: previous 1946 1958 (preindependence); latest adopted by referendum 2 December 1990 promulgated 11 December 1990 (2016)

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
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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Patrice TALON ; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Patrice TALON ; Prime Minister (vacant)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term ; last held on 6 March and 20 March 2016 (next to be held in 2021)
Election results: Patrice TALON elected president; first round percent of vote - Lionel ZINSOU 28.4% Patrice TALON (independent) 24.8% Sebastien AJAVON (independent) 23.0% Abdoulaye Bio TCHANE (ABT) 8.8% Pascal KOUPAKI (NC) 5.9% other 9.1%; second round percent of vote - Patrice TALON 65.4% Lionel ZINSOU 34.6%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
Elections: last held on 26 April 2015
Election results: percent of vote by party - FCBE 30.2% UN 14.4% PRD 10.6% AND 7.6% RB-RP 7.1% other 30.1%; seats by party - FCBE 33 UN 13 PRD 10 AND 5 RB-RP 7 other 15

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme ; 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 national president 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 national president; members appointed for single renewable 5-year terms; High Court of Justice 'other' members elected by the National Assembly; member tenure NA
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; district courts; village courts; Assize courts

Political parties and leaders:

Sun Alliance or AS [Sacca LAFIA]
Union Makes the Nation or UN [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI] (alliance superceded Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD)
United Democratic Forces or FDU [Mathurin NAGO]

Note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Omar AROUNA
In the us chancery: 2,124 Kalorama Road NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 232-6,656
In the us FAX: [1] 265-1996
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Lucy TAMLYN
From the us embassy: Caporal Bernard Anani 01 BP 2012 Cotonou
From the us mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012 Cotonou
From the us telephone: [229] 21-30-06-50
From the us FAX: [229] 21-30-03-84

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
Note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

National symbols: leopard; national colors: green yellow red

National anthem
Name: 'L'Aube Nouvelle'
Lyrics and music: Gilbert Jean DAGNON
Note: adopted 1960

National heritage

Benin - Economy 2016

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Economy overview:

The free market economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture cotton production and regional trade. Cotton is a key export commodity; high prices supported export earnings. Growth in real output has averaged 6.5% since 2014. Inflation has subsided and remained 1% over the past several years.
An insufficient electrical supply continues to hamper 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.
Benin’s 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications water electricity and agriculture. Benin has appealed for international assistance to mitigate piracy against commercial shipping in its territory. Though security remains a problem the Port of Cotonou has made progress towards implementing the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code in an effort to remain competitive. Projects included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact (2006-2011) were designed to increase investment and private sector activity by improving key institutional and physical infrastructure. The four projects focused on access to land access to financial services access to justice and access to markets (including modernization of the port). The Port of Cotonou is the largest component of Benin’s economy with revenues projected to account for more than 40% of Benin’s national budget. Realizing its economic potential requires further efforts to infrastructure upgrades stemming corruption and expanding access to foreign markets in Nigeria and neighboring landlocked countries. In September 2015 Benin signed a MCC second Compact for $375 million that is designed to strengthen the national utility service provider attract private sector investment fund infrastructure investments in electricity generation and distribution and develop off-grid electrification for poor and unserved households. 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 encourage new information and communication technology and establish Independent Power Producers (IPP).

Real gdp purchasing power parity:

$22.95 billion (2015 est.)
$21.81 billion (2014 est.)
$20.47 billion (2013 est.)

Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 142

Real gdp growth rate:

5.2% (2015 est.)
6.5% (2014 est.)
6.9% (2013 est.)

Rank: 41

Real gdp per capita:

$2,100 (2015 est.)
$2,100 (2014 est.)
$2000 (2013 est.)

Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 201

Gross national saving:

15.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
15.7% of GDP (2014 est.)
21.1% of GDP (2013 est.)

Rank: 107

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 67.3%
Government consumption: 15.1%
Investment in fixed capital: 26%
Investment in inventories: 0.6%
Exports of goods and services: 26.9%
Imports of goods and services: -35.9%

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 23.2%
Industry: 24.9%
Services: 51.9%

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

Industries: textiles food processing construction materials cement

Industrial production growth rate: 6.8% (2015 est.)
Rank: 26

Labor force: 3.662 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 96

Labor force

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

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

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.1%
Highest 10: 29%

Distribution of family income gini index: 36.5 (2003)
Rank: 84

Budget
Revenues: $1.476 billion
Expenditures: $2.02 billion
Surplus or deficit: -6.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 184

Taxes and other revenues: 17.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
Rank: 178

Public debt:

37.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
30.9% of GDP (2014 est.)

Rank: 122

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:

0.3% (2015 est.)
-1.1% (2014 est.)

Rank: 62

Central bank discount rate:

4.25% (31 December 2010)
4.25% (31 December 2009)

Rank: 96

Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA%

Stock of narrow money:

$2.172 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$2.336 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Rank: 125

Stock of broad money:

$4.165 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$3.61 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Rank: 139

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.631 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$1.792 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Rank: 147

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance:

-$937 million (2015 est.)
-$896 million (2014 est.)

Rank: 117

Exports:

$1.841 billion (2015 est.)
$2.562 billion (2014 est.)

Rank: 138
Commodities: cotton cashews shea butter textiles palm products seafood
Partners: India 24.2% Gabon 14.6% China 7.2% Niger 6% Bangladesh 5% Nigeria 4.9% Vietnam 4.2% (2015)

Imports:

$2.727 billion (2015 est.)
$3.273 billion (2014 est.)

Rank: 148
Commodities: foodstuffs capital goods petroleum products
Partners: China 42.1% US 8.9% India 5.7% Malaysia 4.8% Thailand 4.3% France 4% (2015)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$731.6 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$726 million (31 December 2014 est.)

Rank: 138

Debt external:

$2.115 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$1.984 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Rank: 150

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
591.45 (2015 est.)
494.42 (2014 est.)
494.42 (2013 est.)
510.53 (2012 est.)
471.87 (2011 est.)

Benin - Energy 2016

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Electricity
Access population without electricity: 7,300,000
Access electrification total population: 29%
Access electrification urban areas: 57%
Access electrification rural areas: 9%
Production: 200 million kWh (2014 est.)
Production rank: 192
Consumption: 1 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 157
Exports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 111
Imports: 1.1 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Imports rank: 63
Installed generating capacity: 163,000 kW (2015 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 163
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 46
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 56
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 145
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 160

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 112
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 102
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 164
Crude oil proven reserves: 8 million bbl (1 January 2016 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 95

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products production rank: 160
Products consumption: 41,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products consumption rank: 115
Products exports: 4,914 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products exports rank: 160
Products imports: 44,950 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products imports rank: 97

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 162
Consumption: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 121
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 67
Imports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 167
Proven reserves: 1.133 billion m³ (1 January 2016 es)
Proven reserves rank: 102

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 5 million Mt (2013 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 130

Energy consumption per capita

Benin - Communication 2016

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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 194,666
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2
Fixed lines rank: 127
Mobile cellular total: 9.318 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 89
Mobile cellular rank: 82

Telephone system
General assessment: inadequate system of open-wire microwave radio relay and cellular connections; fixed-line network characterized by aging deteriorating equipment
Domestic: fixed-line teledensity only about 2 per 100 persons; spurred by the presence of multiple mobile-cellular providers cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly
International: country code - 229; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; long distance fiber-optic links with Togo Burkina Faso Niger and Nigeria; satellite earth stations - 7 (2015)

Broadcast media: state-run Office de Radiodiffusion et de Television du Benin (ORTB) operates a TV station with multiple channels 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 (2007)

Internet
Country code: .bj
Users total: 709,000
Users percent of population: 6.8%
Users rank: 132

Broadband fixed subscriptions

Benin - Military 2016

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Military expenditures:

1.03% of GDP (2012)
NA% (2011)
1.03% of GDP (2010)

Rank: 99

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 (2013)

Space program

Terrorist groups

Benin - Transportation 2016

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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 112,392
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 805,347 mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: TY (2016)

Airports: 6 (2013)
Rank: 171
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways total: 5
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 438 km
Narrow gauge: 438 km 1.000-m gauge
Rank: 118

Roadways
Total: 16,000 km
Paved: 1400 km
Unpaved: 14,600 km
Rank: 119

Waterways: 150 km (seasonal navigation on River Niger along northern border) (2011)
Rank: 101

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Cotonou
LNG terminal: Cotonou

Benin - Transnational issues 2016

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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 near 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 poorly enforced financial regulations (2008)