Background: 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. France began to control the coastal areas of Dahomey 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.

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
Continental shelf: 200 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 200
Note: 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
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 31.3% (2011 est.)
Forest: 40% (2011 est.)
Other: 28.7% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 230 km² (2012)

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
Distribution rank: population distribution map: 12,864,634 (July 2020 est.)
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: 74
Growth rate: 3.4% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 4
Below poverty line: 36.2% (2011 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
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%, Roman 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
0-14 years: 45.56% (male 2,955,396/female 2,906,079)
15-24 years: 20.36% (male 1,300,453/female 1,318,880)
25-54 years: 28.54% (male 1,735,229/female 1,935,839)
55-64 years: 3.15% (male 193,548/female 211,427)
65 years and over: 2.39% (male 140,513/female 167,270) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 82.6
Youth dependency ratio: 76.6
Elderly dependency ratio: 6
Potential support ratio: 16.7 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 17 years
Male: 16.4 years
Female: 17.6 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 218

Population growth rate: 3.4% (2020 est.)
Rank: 4

Birth rate: 42.1 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 5

Death rate: 8.4 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 75

Net migration rate: 0.3 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 68

Population distribution
Rank: population distribution map

Urbanization
Urban population: 48.4% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 3.89% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 285,000 PORTO-NOVO (capital) (2018); 1.056 million Abomey-Calavi, 692,000 COTONOU (seat of government) (2020)

Environment
Current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification (the spread of the desert into agricultural lands in the north is accelerated by regular droughts)
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(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 20.4 years (2017/18 est.)
Note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Infant mortality rate
Total: 58.7 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 63.9 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 53.3 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 15

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 61.4 years
Male: 59.6 years
Female: 63.3 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 211

Total fertility rate: 5.53 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 8

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 15.5% (2017/18)

Drinking water source
Urban: 18.8% of population
Rural: 27.8% of population
Total: 23.6% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 3.7% (2017)

Physicians density: 0.05 physicians/1000 population (2016)

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

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 41.3% of population
Rural: 84% of population
Total: 64% of population (2017 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 1% (2019 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 44
People living with hivaids: 75,000 (2019 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 53
Deaths: 2,300 (2019 est.)
Deaths rank: 42

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high (2020)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
Animal contact diseases: rabies
Respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 9.6% (2016)
Rank: 142

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 16.8% (2018)
Rank: 35

Education expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (2018)
Rank: 135

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 42.4%
Male: 54%
Female: 31.1% (2018)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 13 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 11 years (2016)

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Benin
Conventional short form: Benin
Local long form: Republique du Benin
Local short form: Benin
Former: Dahomey, Peoples Republic of Benin
Etymology: named for the Bight of Benin, the body of water on which the country lies

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Porto-Novo (constitutional capital); Cotonou (seat of government)
Geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time): etymology: the name Porto-Novo is Portuguese for 'new port'; Cotonou means 'by the river of death' in the native Fon language

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

Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 August (1960)

Constitution
History: previous 1946, 1958 (preindependence); latest adopted by referendum 2 December 1990, promulgated 11 December 1990
Amendments: proposed concurrently by the president of the republic (after a decision in the Council of Ministers) and the National Assembly; consideration of drafts or proposals requires at least three-fourths majority vote of the Assembly membership; passage requires approval in a referendum unless approved by at least four-fifths majority vote of the Assembly membership; constitutional articles affecting territorial sovereignty, the republican form of government, and secularity of Benin cannot be amended

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 (since 6 April 2016); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Patrice TALON (since 6 April 2016); prime minister position abolished
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 (eligible for a second term); last held on 6 March and 20 March 2016 (next to be held in 2021)
Election results: Patrice TALON elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Lionel ZINSOU (FCBE) 28.4%, Patrice TALON (independent) 24.8%, Sebastien AJAVON (independent) 23.%, Abdoulaye Bio TCHANE (ABT) 8.8%, Pascal KOUPAKI (NC) 5.9%, other 9.1%; percent of vote in second round - Patrice TALON 65.4%, Lionel ZINSOU 34.6%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 28 April 2019 (next to be held in April 2023)
Election results: percent of vote by party - Union Progressiste 56.2%, Bloc Republicain 43.8%; seats by party - Union Progressiste 47, Bloc Republicain 36; composition - men 77, women 6, percent of women 7.2%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of the chief justice and 16 justices organized into an administrative division, judicial chamber, and chamber of accounts); 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 president of the republic 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 president of the republic; members appointed for single renewable 5-year terms; other members of the High Court of Justice elected by the National Assembly; member tenure NA
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeal or Cour dAppel; district courts; village courts; Assize courts

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for a Triumphant Benin or ABT [Abdoulaye BIO TCHANE]African Movement for Development and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]Benin Renaissance or RB [Lehady SOGLO]Cowrie Force for an Emerging Benin or FCBE [Yayi BONI]Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]National Alliance for Development and Democracy or AND [Valentin Aditi HOUDE]New Consciousness Rally or NC [Pascal KOUPAKI]Patriotic Awakening or RP [Janvier YAHOUEDEOU]Social Democrat Party or PSD [Emmanuel GOLOU]Sun Alliance or AS [Sacca LAFIA]Union Makes the Nation or UN [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI] (includes PRD, MADEP)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 Jean Claude Felix DO REGO (since 17 July 2020)
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 Patricia MAHONEY (since 18 January 2019)
From the us telephone: [229] 21-30-06-50
From the us embassy: Marina Avenue, 01 BP 2012, Cotonou
From the us mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou
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: LAube Nouvelle (The Dawn of a New Day)
Lyricsmusic: Gilbert Jean DAGNON
Note: adopted 1960

Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real:
Real note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 33

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars
Rank: 208

Gross national saving:
Rank: 116

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 70.5% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 13.1% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 27.6% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 31.6% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -43% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 26.1% (2017 est.)
Industry: 22.8% (2017 est.)
Services: 51.1% (2017 est.)

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: 3% (2017 est.)
Rank: 101

Labor force: 3.662 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 97

Unemployment rate: 1% (2014 est.)
Rank: 8

Population below poverty line: 36.2% (2011 est.)

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

Budget
Revenues: 1.578 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 2.152 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -6.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 186

Taxes and other revenues: 17.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 171

Public debt:
Rank: 81

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 8

Current account balance:
Rank: 147

Exports:
Rank: 134
Partners: Bangladesh 18.1%, India 10.7%, Ukraine 9%, Niger 8.1%, China 7.7%, Nigeria 7.2%, Turkey 4% (2017)
Commodities: cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood

Imports:
Rank: 134
Commodities: foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products
Partners: Thailand 18.1%, India 15.9%, France 8.5%, China 7.5%, Togo 5.9%, Netherlands 4.3%, Belgium 4.3% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 141

Debt external:
Rank: 144

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access population without electricity: 8 million (2019)
Access electrification total population: 33% (2019)
Access electrification urban areas: 58% (2019)
Access electrification rural areas: 9% (2019)
Production: 335 million kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 177
Consumption: 1.143 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 152
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 106
Imports: 1.088 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 68
Installed generating capacity: 321,000 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 158
Generation sources fossil fuels: 88% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 57
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 49
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 9% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 116
Generation sources other renewable sources: 2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 135

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 110
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 93
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 96
Crude oil proven reserves: 8 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 92

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 118
Products consumption: 38,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 113
Products exports: 1514 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 107
Products imports: 38,040 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 93

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 104
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 121
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 69
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 91
Proven reserves: 1.133 billion m³ (1 January 2018 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 98

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 5.664 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 130

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 37,305 (2019 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 164
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 10,905,559
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 87.7 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 80

Broadcast media: state-run Office de Radiodiffusion et de Television du Benin (ORTB) operates a TV station 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 (2019)

Internet
Country code: .bj
Users total: 2,403,596
Users percent of population: 20% (July 2018 est.)
Users rank: 110

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 27,034 (2018 est.)
Rank: 145

Military expenditures:
Rank: 133

Military and security forces: Benin Armed Forces (Forces Armees Beninoises, FAB): Army, Navy, Air Force; Ministry of Public Security: Republican Police (2019)

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)

Terrorist groups: al-Qa’ida (Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen); Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (2020)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in a title='Appendix-T' href='../appendix/appendix-t.html'>Appendix-T/a>

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1 (2015)
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 112,392 (2015)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 805,347
Note: mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: TY (2016)

Airports: 6 (2013)
Rank: 172
With paved runways total: 1 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 5 (2013)
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2013)

Pipelines: 134 km gas

Railways
Total: 438 km (2014)
Narrow gauge: 438 km
Note: 1.000-m gauge (2014)
Rank: 116

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

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

Merchant marine
Total: 6
By type: other 6 (2019)
Rank: 162

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Cotonou
LNG terminal: Cotonou

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

Illicit drugs: transshipment point used by traffickers for cocaine destined for Western Europe; vulnerable to money laundering due to poorly enforced financial regulations