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 has begun a high profile fight against corruption and has strongly promoted accelerating Benin's economic growth.

Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N 2 15 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 112,622 km²
Rank: 101
Land: 110,622 km²
Water: 2000 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries
Total: 1989 km
Border countries: (4) 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: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits limestone marble timber

Land use
Arable land: 23.53%
Permanent crops: 2.37%
Other: 74.1% (2005)

Irrigated land: 120 km² (2003)

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

Population: 8,791,832
Rank: 90
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 (July 2009 est.)
Growth rate: 2.977% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 14
Below poverty line: 37.4% (2007 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Beninese
Adjective: Beninese

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: Christian 42.8% (Catholic 27.1% Celestial 5% Methodist 3.2% other Protestant 2.2% other 5.3%) Muslim 24.4% Vodoun 17.3% other 15.5% (2002 census)

Age structure
0-14 years: 45.2%
15-64 years: 52.1% (male 2,275,662/female 2,308,945)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 94,569/female 135,810) (2009 est.)

Median age
Total: 17.2 years
Male: 16.8 years
Female: 17.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.977% (2009 est.)
Rank: 14

Birth rate: 39.22 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 21

Death rate: 9.45 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 74

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 76

Urbanization
Urban population: 41% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 64.64 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 34
Male: 68.07 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 61.04 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 59 years
Rank: 185
Male: 57.83 years
Female: 60.23 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.49 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 19

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.2% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 50
People living with hivaids: 64,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 58
Deaths: 3,300 (2007 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: malaria and yellow fever
Respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
Animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Education expenditures: 4.4% of GDP (2004)
Rank: 91

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 34.7%
Male: 47.9%
Female: 23.3% (2002 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 7 years
Male: 9 years
Female: 6 years (2001)

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

Capital
Name: Porto-Novo
Geographic coordinates: 6 29 N 2 37 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)
Note: Cotonou (seat of government)

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

Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: National Day 1 August (1960)

Constitution: adopted by referendum 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: President Thomas YAYI Boni ; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); runoff election held 19 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2011)
Election results: Thomas YAYI Boni elected president; percent of vote - Thomas YAYI Boni 74.5% Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held 31 March 2007 (next to be held by March 2011)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FCBE 35 ADD 20 PRD 10 other and independents 18

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

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD; Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; 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 RDP [Dominique HOUNGNINOU]; Social Democrat Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Union for the Relief or UPR [Issa SALIFOU]; Union for Democracy and National Solidarity or UDS [Sacca LAFIA]
Note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN
In the us chancery: 2,124 Kalorama Road NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 232-6,656
In the us fax: [1] (202) 265-1996
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Gayleatha B. BROWN
From the us embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani 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

Economy overview: The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture cotton production and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged around 5% in the past seven years but rapid population growth has offset much of this increase. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to raise growth still further 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 though the government annulled the privatization of Benin's state cotton company in November 2007 after the discovery of irregularities in the bidding process. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation with Benin benefiting from a G8 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 140
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 92

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 199
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 33.2%
Industry: 14.5%
Services: 52.3% (2007 est.)

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

Industries: textiles food processing construction materials cement

Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (2008 est.)
Rank: 71

Labor force: 3.662 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 90

Unemployment rate: NA%

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.1%
Highest 10: 29% (2003)

Distribution of family income gini index: 36.5 (2003)
Rank: 82

Budget
Revenues: $1.407 billion
Expenditures: $1.291 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.3% (2007 est.)
Rank: 125

Central bank discount rate: 4.25% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 114

Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA

Stock of domestic credit:

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$407 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 111

Exports: $819 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 150
Commodities: cotton cashews shea butter textiles palm products seafood
Partners: China 15.6% India 12% Japan 8.5% Niger 4.9% US 4.6% Nigeria 4.3% (2008)

Imports: $1.194 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 154
Commodities: foodstuffs capital goods petroleum products
Partners: China 35.9% US 13.2% Thailand 6.5% France 6.5% Malaysia 6.2% India 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.209 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 122

Debt external: $1.2 billion (2007)
Rank: 150

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.) 493.51 (2007) 522.59 (2006) 527.47 (2005) 528.29 (2004)
Note: since 1 January 1999 the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF) and vice versa even though the two currencies trade at par

Electricity
Production: 124 million kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 185
Consumption: 597 million kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 157
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 588 million kWh (2007 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 97
Consumption: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 204
Exports: 0 m³ (2008)
Exports rank: 49
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 74
Proven reserves: 1.133 billion m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 98

Telephones
Main lines in use: 159,000 (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 131
Mobile cellular: 3.435 million (2008)
Mobile cellular rank: 100

Telephone system
General assessment: inadequate; fixed-line network characterized by aging deteriorating equipment with fixed-line teledensity only about 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly
Domestic: system of open-wire microwave radio relay and cellular connections; multiple mobile-cellular providers
International: country code - 229; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Internet
Country code: .bj
Hosts: 1155 (2009)
Hosts rank: 157
Users: 160,000 (2008)
Users rank: 141

Military expenditures: 1.7% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 96

Military service age and obligation: 21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; in practice volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2006)

Airports: 5 (2009)
Rank: 177
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2009)
With unpaved runways total: 4
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2009)

Railways
Total: 578 km
Rank: 113
Narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways
Total: 16,000 km
Rank: 121
Paved: 1400 km
Unpaved: 14,600 km (2006)

Waterways: 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2007)
Rank: 102

Ports and terminals: Cotonou

Disputes international: in September 2007 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened to attempt to resolve the dispute over two villages along the Benin-Burkina Faso border that remain from 2005 ICJ decision; much of Benin-Niger boundary including tripoint with Nigeria remains undemarcated; in 2005 Nigeria ceded thirteen villages to Benin but border relations remain strained by rival cross-border gang clashes; talks continue between Benin and Togo on funding the Adjrala hydroelectric dam on the Mona River

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 9,444 (Togo) (2007)

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