1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 112,620 sq km land: 110,620 sq km water: 2,000 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Climate
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Coastline
121 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
Environment--current issues
recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
9 30 N, 2 15 E
Geography--note
no natural harbors
Irrigated land
100 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 1,989 km border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
Land use
arable land: 13% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 31% other: 48% (1993 est.)
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 200 nm
Natural hazards
hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter
Natural resources
small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Terrain
mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 48% (male 1,510,703; female 1,501,437) 15-64 years: 50% (male 1,511,114; female 1,637,155) 65 years and over: 2% (male 62,459; female 82,699) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
45.37 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
12.4 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500
Infant mortality rate
97.76 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 54.08 years male: 51.98 years female: 56.24 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 37% male: 48.7% female: 25.8% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
6,305,567 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
3.3% (1999 est.)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
6.4 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Mono, Oueme, Zou note: six additional provinces have been reported but not confirmed; they are Alibori, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, and Plateau; moreover, the term "province" may have been changed to "department"
Capital
Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government
Constitution
December 1990
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin local long form: Republique du Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey
Data code
BN
Executive branch
chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 18 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2001) election results: Mathieu KEREKOU elected president; percent of vote--Mathieu KEREKOU 52.49%, Nicephore SOGLO 47.51%
Flag description
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side
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
Independence
1 August 1960 (from France)
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, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MINURCA, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lucien Edgar TONOUKOUIN chancery: 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert C. FELDER embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address: B. P. 2012, Cotonou
Judicial branch
Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle, Supreme Court or Cour Supreme, High Court of Justice Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Civic Renewal or ARC Sylvain AKINDES]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD and KINA]; Liberal Democrats' Rally for National Reconstruction-Vivoten note: as of December 1998, more than 110 political parties were officially recognized; among them are Benin Renaissance Party or PRB, Our Common Cause or NCC, Cameleon Alliance or AC, Rally for Democracy and Pan-Africanism or RDP
Legal system
based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 28 March 1995 (next to be held 28 March 1999) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PRB 20, PRD 19, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 7, NCC 3, RDL-VIVOTEN 3, PCB 2, AC 1, RDP 1, other 17
National holiday
National Day, 1 August (1990)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
corn, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, livestock
Budget
revenues: $299 million expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of $14 million (1995 est.)
Currency
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Debt--external
$1.6 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$281.2 million (1995)
Economy--overview
The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged a sound 4% in 1990-95 and 5% in 1996-98. Rapid population growth has offset much of this growth in output. Inflation has subsided over the past three years. Commercial and transport activities, which make up a large part of GDP, are vulnerable to developments in Nigeria, particularly fuel shortages. 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.
Electricity--consumption
251 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
245 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
6 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1--566.36 (January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)
Exports
$250 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities
cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa
Exports--partners
Brazil 18%, Portugal 11%, Morocco 10%, Libya 6%, France (1997)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$7.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 34% industry: 14% services: 52% (1997)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,300 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
4.4% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$314 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities
foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods
Imports--partners
France 21%, UK 9%, Thailand 9%, Hong Kong 8%, China (1997)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction materials, petroleum
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
5.6% (1998 est.)
Labor force
NA
Population below poverty line
33% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998 est.)
Radios
400,000 (1998 est.)
Telephone system
domestic: fair system of open wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable
Telephones
38,354 (6,286 cellular telephone subscribers) (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations
2 (one privately owned) (1997)
Televisions
30,000 (1998 est.)
Transportation
Airports
5 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 6,787 km paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,430 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine
none
Railways
total: 578 km (single track) narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)
Waterways
navigable along small sections, important only locally Ports and harbors: Cotonou, Porto-Novo
Military and Security
Military branches
Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$27 million (1996)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
1.2% (1996)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 1,363,878 females age 15-49: 1,425,987 (1999 est.) note: both sexes are liable for military service Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 697,715 females age 15-49: 722,323 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
18 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 67,622 females: 67,238 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US