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.

Area
Total: 112,620 km²
Land: 110,620 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: Total 1,989 km, Burkina Faso 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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Tanekas 641 m

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 12%
Permanent crops: 4%
Permanent pastures: 4%
Forests and woodland: 35%
Other: 45%

Irrigated land: 60 km² (1989 est.)

Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Beninese

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Environment
Current issues: recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
Current issues Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter
International agreements: party to_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified_Desertification, Law of the Sea
International agreements note: No natural harbors

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
All ages:

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 52.69 years (1996 est.), 52.24 years (1995 est.)
Male: 50.74 years (1996 est.), 50.34 years (1995 est.)
Female: 54.7 years (1996 est.), 54.2 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 37%
Male: 48.7%
Female: 25.8%

Country name
Conventional 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

Independence: 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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state and head of government:
Cabinet: Executive Council; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: Unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale):Elections last held 28 March 1995; results_percent of vote by party NA; seats_(83 total) Renaissance Party and allies 20, PRD 19, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 7, NCC 3, RDL-VIVOTEN 3, Communist Party 2, Alliance Chameleon 1, RDP 1, ADP 1, other 16

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

International 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, UNMIH, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Flag description: Two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side

Economy 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 1990-94, rose to 6% in 1995. Rapid population growth, now 3.3% per year, 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 subsided gradually in 1995. Commercial and transport activities, which make up 37% 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 growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:

Agriculture products: Accounts for 35% of GDP; small farms produce 90% of agricultural output; production is dominated by food crops_corn, sorghum, cassava, yams, beans, rice; cash crops include cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry and livestock output has not kept up with consumption

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate -0.7% (1988; accounts for 10% of GDP

Labor force: 1.9 million (1987)
By occupation agriculture: 60%
By occupation transport commerce andpublicservices: 38%
By occupation industry: less than 2%

Unemployment rate: NA

Budget
Revenues: $272 million (1993 est.)
Expenditures: $375 million, including capital expenditures of $84 million (1993 est.)

Fiscal year: Calendar year

Exports:
Commodities:
Partners:

Debt external:

Electricity
Capacity: 30,000 kW
Production: 10 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 25 kWh (1993)

Telephone system: 16,200 telephones (1986 est.); fair system of open wire and microwave radio relay
Local: NA
Intercity: microwave radio relay and open wire
International: 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station, submarine cable

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $33 million, 3.2% of GDP (1994)

Airports: 5
2438 to 3047 m: 2
15-24 to 2437 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 2

Waterways: Navigable along small sections, important only locally

Merchant marine: None

Illicit drugs: Transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the U.S.