1994 Edition

Administrative divisions

6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Mono, Oueme, Zou

Agriculture

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

Airports

total: 7 usable: 6 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 3

Area

total area: 112,620 sq km land area: 110,620 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Birth rate

47.67 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Branches

Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie

Budget

revenues: $218 million expenditures: $355 million, including capital expenditures of $100 million (1991 est.)

Capital

Porto-Novo

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Coastline

121 km

Constitution

2 December 1990

Currency

1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Death rate

14.36 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $29 million, 1.7% of GDP (1988 est.)

Digraph

BN

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Candide AHOUANSOU chancery: 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 232-6656

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $46 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.3 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $19 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $101 million

Electricity

capacity: 30,000 kW production: 25 million kWh consumption per capita: 5 kWh (1991)

Environment

current issues: limited supply of safe drinking water; illegal hunting threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Ethnic divisions

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

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 592.05 (January 1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989) note: beginning 12 January 1994 the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Nicephore SOGLO (since 4 April 1991); election last held 10 and 24 March 1991; results - Nicephore SOGLO 68%, Mathieu KEREKOU 32% cabinet: Executive Council; appointed by the president

Exports

$328.8 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: crude oil, cotton, palm products, cocoa partners: FRG 36%, France 16%, Spain 14%, Italy 8%, UK 4%

External debt

$1 billion (December 1990 est.)

FAX

(202) 265-1996

[229] 30-14-39 and 30-19-74

Fiscal year

calendar year

Flag

two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side

Highways

total: 8,435 km paved: 1,038 km unpaved: crushed stone 2,600 km; improved earth 1,530 km; unimproved earth 3,267 km

Imports

$482.3 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods partners: France 20%, Thailand 8%, Netherlands 7%, US 5%

Independence

1 August 1960 (from France)

Industrial production

growth rate -0.7% (1988); accounts for 10% of GDP

Industries

textiles, cigarettes, construction materials, beverages, food production, petroleum

Infant mortality rate

110.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.4% (1990)

Inland waterways

navigable along small sections, important only locally

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

60 sq km (1989 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Labor force

1.9 million (1987) by occupation: agriculture 60%, transport, commerce, and public services 38%, industry less than 2% note: 49% of population of working age (1985)

Land boundaries

total 1,989 km, 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%

Languages

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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 51.77 years male: 49.92 years female: 53.68 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 23% male: 32% female: 16%

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Nigeria and Togo

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 1,209,226; females age 15-49 1,120,105; males fit for military service 611,257; females fit for military service 573,775; males reach military age (18) annually 58,293 (1994 est.); femalesreach military age (18) annually 56,735 (1994 est.); both sexes are liable for miltary service

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 200 nm

Member of

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Names

conventional long form: Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin local long form: Republique Populaire du Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey

National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

elections 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)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $6.2 billion (1993 est.)

National product per capita

$1,200 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

3% (1991)

Nationality

noun: Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese

Natural resources

small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Note

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

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 10% 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, primarily cotton. A World Bank supported structural adjustment program begun in 1989 has helped strengthen the economy through such measures as trimming the government payroll, reforming the tax system, and encouraging private investment, both domestic and foreign. Benin has experienced 3 consecutive years of moderate growth as a result.

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; 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), leader NA; Movement for Solidarity, Union, and Progress (MSUP), Adebo ADENIYI; 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; Bloc for Social Democracy (BSD), Michel MAGNIDE; Alliance of the Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP), Akindes ADEKPEDJOU; Democratic Union for Social Renewal (UDRS), Bio Gado Seko N'GOYE; National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP), Robert TAGNON; Party for Progress and Democracy, Thiophile NATA; African Rally for Progress and Solidarity (RAPS), Florentin MITO-BABA; The Benin Renaissance Party , Desire VIEYRA and Rosine SOGLO; The Patriotic Union for the Republic (UPR), Jean-Marie ZAHOUN; Union for the Conservation of Democracy, Bernard HOUEGNON note: as of May 1994, Benin had about 60 political parties

Population

5,341,710 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

3.33% (1994 est.)

Ports

Cotonou

Railroads

578 km, all 1.000-meter gauge, single track

Religions

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telecommunications

fair system of open wire, submarine cable, and radio relay microwave; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Terrain

mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Total fertility rate

6.79 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Type

republic under multiparty democratic rule dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991

Unemployment rate

NA%

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Ruth A. DAVIS embassy: Rue Caporal Anani Bernard, Cotonou mailing address: B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone: [229] 30-06-50, 30-05-13, 30-17-92