1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Coastline
121 km
Comparative area
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Disputes
none
Environment
hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter; deforestation; desertification
Land area
110,620 km2
Land boundaries
1,989 km total; Burkina 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
Land use
arable land 12%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and woodland 35%; other 45%, includes irrigated NEGL%
Natural resources
small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Note
recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; no natural harbors
Terrain
mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Territorial sea
200 nm
Total area
112,620 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
49 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
15 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba); Europeans 5,500
Infant mortality rate
115 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
1,900,000 (1987); agriculture 60%, transport, commerce, and public services 38%, industry less than 2%; 49% of population of working age (1985)
Languages
French (official); Fon and Yoruba most common vernaculars in south; at least six major tribal languages in north
Life expectancy at birth
49 years male, 53 years female (1992)
Literacy
23% (male 32%, female 16%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Nationality
noun - Beninese (singular and plural); adjective - Beninese
Net migration rate
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor
about 75% of wage earners
Population
4,997,599 (July 1992), growth rate 3.3% (1992)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%
Total fertility rate
6.9 children born/woman (1992)
Government
Administrative divisions
6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Mono, Oueme, Zou
Capital
Porto-Novo
Chief of State and Head of Government
President Nicephore SOGLO (since 4 April 1991)
Communists
Communist Party of Dahomey (PCD) remains active
Constitution
2 December 1990
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Candide AHOUANSOU; Chancery at 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-6656 US: Ambassador Harriet W. ISOM; Embassy at Rue Caporal Anani Bernard, Cotonou (mailing address is B. P. 2012, Cotonou); telephone [229] 30-06-50, 30-05-13, 30-17-92; FAX [229] 30-14-39 and 30-19-74
Executive branch
president, cabinet
Flag
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side
Independence
1 August 1960 (from France; formerly Dahomey)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Legal system
based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
Long-form name
Republic of Benin
Member of
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
National Assembly
last held 10 and 24 March 1991; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (64 total) UDFP-MDPS-ULD 12, PNDD/PRD 9, PSD/UNSP 8, NCC 7, RND 7, MNDD/MSUP/UDRN 6, UDS 5, RDL 4, ASD/BSD 3, ADP/UDRS 2, UNDP 1
National holiday
National Day, 1 August (1990)
Political parties and leaders
Alliance of the Democratic Union for the Forces of Progress (UDFP), Timothee ADANLIN; Movement for Democracy and Social Progress (MDPS), Jean-Roger AHOYO; and the Union for Liberty and Development (ULD), Marcellin DEGBE; Alliance of the National Party for Democracy and Development (PNDD) and the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), Pascal Chabi KAO; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress (UNSP), Bruno AMOUSSOU; Our Common Cause (NCC), Albert TEVOEDJRE; National Rally for Democracy (RND), Joseph KEKE; Alliance of the National Movement for Democracy and Development (MNDD), Bertin BORNA; Movement for Solidarity, Union, and Progress (MSUP), Adebo ADENIYI; and Union for Democracy and National Reconstruction (UDRN), Azaria FAKOREDE; Union for Democracy and National Solidarity (UDS), Mama Amadou N'DIAYE; Assembly of Liberal Democrats for National Reconstruction (RDL), Severin ADJOVI; Alliance of the Alliance for Social Democracy (ASD), Robert DOSSOU, and Bloc for Social Democracy (BSD), Michel MAGNIDE; Alliance of the Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP), Akindes ADEKPEDJOU, and Democratic Union for Social Renewal (UDRS), Bio Gado Seko N'GOYE; National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP), Robert TAGNON; numerous other small parties
President
last held 10 and 24 March 1991; results - Nicephore SOGLO 68%, Mathieu KEREKOU 32%
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991
Economy
Agriculture
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
Budget
revenues $194 million; expenditures $390 million, including capital expenditures of $104 million (1990 est.)
Currency
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural - francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $46 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1,300 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $19 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $101 million
Electricity
30,000 kW capacity; 25 million kWh produced, 5 kWh per capita (1991)
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 269.01 (January 1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987)
Exports
$263.3 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: crude oil, cotton, palm products, cocoa partners: FRG 36%, France 16%, Spain 14%, Italy 8%, UK 4%
External debt
$1.0 billion (December 1990 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
exchange rate conversion - $2.0 billion, per capita $410; real growth rate 3% (1991)
Imports
$428 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods partners: France 34%, Netherlands 10%, Japan 7%, Italy 6%, US 4%
Industrial production
growth rate --0.7% (1988); accounts for 15% of GDP
Industries
textiles, cigarettes, construction materials, beverages, food production, petroleum
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.0% (1990)
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 about 35% 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. Low prices in recent years have kept down hard currency earnings from Benin's major exports of agricultural products and crude oil.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
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
Civil air
no major transport aircraft
Highways
5,050 km total; 920 km paved, 2,600 laterite, 1,530 km improved earth
Inland waterways
navigable along small sections, important only locally
Ports
Cotonou
Railroads
578 km, all 1.000-meter gauge, single track
Telecommunications
fair system of open wire, submarine cable, and radio relay; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $29 million, 1.7% of GDP (1988 est.)
Manpower availability
eligible 15-49, 2,165,515; of the 1,031,738 males 15-49, 528,366 are fit for military service; of the 1,133,777 females 15-49, 572,603 are fit for military service; about 55,697 males and 53,786 females reach military age (18) annually; both sexes are liable for military service