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.

Land boundaries: 1,989 km total; 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

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

Land use: 12% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures; 35% forest and woodland; 45% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Geography
Note: recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; no natural harbors

Population: 4,673,964 (July 1990), growth rate 3.3% (1990)

Nationality: noun--Beninese (sing., pl.; adjective--Beninese

Ethnic groups: 99% African (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba; 5,500 Europeans

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

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

Birth rate: 50 births/1000 population (1990)

Death rate: 16 deaths/1000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1000 population (1990)

Environment
Current issues: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter; deforestation; desertification

Infant mortality rate: 121 deaths/1000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 48 years male, 52 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 7.1 children born/woman (1990)

Literacy: 25.9%

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Benin

Government type: dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system by 1991 planned

Capital: Porto-Novo (official), Cotonou (de facto)

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

Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France; formerly Dahomey)

National holiday: National Day, 30 November (1975)

Constitution: 23 May 1977 (nullified 1 March 1990; new constitution to be drafted by April 1990

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

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government--President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 27 October 1972)

Legislative branch: Army, Navy, Air Force

Judicial branch: Central People's Court (Cour Central Populaire)

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CEAO, EAMA, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, Niger River Commission, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Theophile NATA; Chancery at 2,737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 232-6,656; US--Ambassador Harriet ISOM; Embassy at Rue Caporal Anani Bernard, Cotonou (mailing address is B. P. 2012, Cotonou; telephone p229o 30-06-50

Flag description: green with a red five-pointed star in the upper hoist-side corner

Economy overview: Benin is one of the least developed countries in the world because of limited natural resources and a poorly developed infrastructure. Agriculture accounts for almost 45% of GDP, employs about 60% of the labor force, and generates a major share of foreign exchange earnings. The industrial sector contributes only about 15% to GDP and employs 2% of the work force. Persistently low prices in recent years have limited hard currency earnings from Benin's major exports of agricultural products and crude oil.

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

Industries: palm oil and palm kernel oil processing, textiles, beverages, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate: - 0.7% (1988)

Labor force:

Unemployment rate: NA

Budget: revenues $168 million; expenditures $317 million, including capital expenditures of $97 million (1989)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $226 million (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodities: crude oil, cotton, palm products, cocoa
Partners: FRG 36%, France 16%, Spain 14%, Italy 8%, UK 7%

Imports: $413 million (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodities: foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods
Partners: France 34%, Netherlands 10%, Japan 7%, Italy 6%, US 5%

Debt external: $1.0 billion (December 1989 est.)

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)

Electricity
Capacity: 28,000 kW capacity; 24 million kWh produced, 5 kWh per capita (1989)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 1.7% of GDP, or $28.9 million (1988 est.)

Airports: 6 total, 5 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Waterways: navigable along small sections, important only locally

Merchant marine: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) of 2,999 GRT/4,407 DWT